Career Review Paper (adapted from Dr. Drew Appleby at UIPUI, used with permission)
You will write an APA-style review paper whose topic is the particular area of specialization in psychology that is of most relevance to the occupation you would like to eventually enter (e.g., industrial/organizational psychology if you want to become a human resources director, counseling if you wish to become a school counselor, and developmental psychology if you would like to own and operate a daycare center). The body of this paper—not including the title page, abstract, and reference section—will be at least ten pages long, and will be organized into the following sections:a.      A title page that includes a running head, the title of your paper, your name, and your institutional affiliationb.      An abstract that briefly identifies the following six sections of your paper in a clear and succinct mannerc.      The history of this area including its relationship to other areas of psychology and/or other academic disciplinesd.      Two of this area’s psychological theories that are relevant to the work. e.      Two of the research methods that researchers in this area commonly use to gather data and test hypothesesf.      A description of two empirical studies from the professional literature of this area and an explanation how the results of each of these studies can or have been used to promote human welfare. The studies must come from a peer-reviewed journal.g.      A specific occupation in this area that you plan to eventually enter; an accurate description of this occupation, the tasks a person in this occupation is required to perform; and a list of the specific types of knowledge, skills, and characteristics (i.e., work styles) a person needs in order to be successful in this occupation. The information for this section must be gathered from O*NET (http://online.onetcenter.org/) or a similarly credible source that has been approved by the instructor.h.      An explanation of how you have used specific curricular (e.g., classes) and extracurricular (e.g., internships) opportunities during your undergraduate education to accomplish the knowledge, skills, and characteristics you identified in the previous section.

 This is what the student has so far………………..

  The area of Psychology that I have chosen to work in is Social Psychology.  Social Psychology is defined as the scientific study of how people’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others; in lament terms, the field that seeks to understand the nature and causes of individual behavior in social situations .  I have chosen this field of study because this is a topic that I have always had interest in.   The fact that others’ presence may be imagined or implied suggests that we are prone to social influence even when no other people are present, such as when watching television, or following internalized cultural norms. Psychologists often explain this type of behavior as a result of the interaction of mental states and immediate social situations, meaning what they are or have experienced before.

As a Social Psychologist I would dissect the elements that may cause people to behave the way they do while they are around other people. As with other psychologists in this field I am interested in the way these thoughts and beliefs are manifested and how it influences people’s interactions and reactions to other people and what if anything can change a person from letting their behaviors be controlled by others. 

During my research into this field I’ve discovered that social psychology is said to bridge the gap between psychology and sociology. Some of the problem areas that social psychology can be used to study are prejudices, bullying, criminal activities, substance abuse, and family and domestic problems. By studying Social Psychology we can better learn how to mitigate or eliminate the aforementioned problems in the world.  Social psychologists analyze social psychology research results, and sometimes conduct research of their own. Reading research papers and social psychology journals is often the best way to study research conducted by other social psychologists.

Since the presence of social psychologists and medical equipment can influence how a person behaves, however, many social psychologists prefer to do their research through personal observations. This typically involves watching “real” people in “real” environments and situations.  The research that psychologists conduct can be applied to solve a number of real world problems, from minor problems to major problems.

For example, social psychologists can help advertisers and marketers figure out how to use group influence to help get more individuals to buy certain brands, something that I do know in running my nonprofit and working on television.  Marketing and advertising firms hire social psychologists for marketing research.

According to the Bureau of labor Statistics does not record salary data specifically for social psychologists, but it does record salary data for a number of similar professions. Sociologists made a median salary of $79,460 in 2010, and psychologists made a median salary of $86,510 in that same year. Psychologists that worked at elementary and secondary schools, however, made $89,570 and those in scientific research and development made a median salary of $100,790 (Amabile, 1983).

Social psychologists can also work in private and government research facilities. They might conduct research in controlled environments, such as laboratories, or in natural environments as I described earlier. Other facilities might also hire social psychologists, like schools, correctional facilities, and social welfare organizations. Teaching is another field that Social Psychologists can go into.

To become a Social Psychologist one must start with obtaining a bachelor’s degree in general psychology, social psychology or another related field. Although some social psychologists focus on earning a master’s degree, most seek a doctoral degree. PhD programs in social psychology typically take five years to complete. I would like to obtain my Master’s degree in this field as well as a Master’s degree in Marketing.

References

Thibaut, J. W., & Kelley, H. H. (1959). The social psychology of groups.

Sherif, M. (1936). The psychology of social norms.

Tajfel, H. (1982). Social psychology of intergroup relations. Annual review of psychology, 33(1), 1-39.

Tajfel, H. (1982). Social psychology of intergroup relations. Annual review of psychology, 33(1), 1-39.

Amabile, T. M. (1983). The social psychology of creativity: A componential conceptualization. Journal of personality and social psychology, 45(2), 357.