Applied

Applied Psychology at Bryant UniversityWhat is applied psychology?

Psychology is the scientific and theory-based study of mind, behavior, and interaction. Areas of inquiry include biological, cognitive, developmental, personality, and social psychology. If you want to learn more about careers for people with degrees in psychology, go to our Careers page. You can also review the list of Applied Psychology topics below because within each of these areas you will find multiple career opportunities.

What is applied psychology and what does this focus mean?

Applied psychology builds upon a base of psychological theory, and identifies problems that can be directly addressed using psychological research. Thus, a focus in applied psychology means that we are engaged in research that delves into real world problems and solutions. Students majoring in applied psychology will study theories and applications across a diversity of settings.

Applied research topics within some of these settings are listed below. The specific research interests of the Bryant Applied Psychology faculty can be found at the bottom of this page, and under the Faculty link on this site.

PSYCHOLOGY APPLIED TO BIOMEDICINE AND HEALTH

  • Adjustment to serious injury and other negative life events
  • Mind-body connections in the causes and treatment of illness
  • Psychosocial factors related to health and illness
  • Adoption of a healthy lifestyle

PSYCHOLOGY APPLIED TO SPORT

  • Psychological factors affecting athletic performance
  • Effective coaching
  • Athletic motivation
  • Effective team performance

PSYCHOLOGY APPLIED TO THE MILITARY

  • Leadership
  • Teams & group dynamics
  • Psychological operations

PSYCHOLOGY APPLIED TO COMPUTER USE AND THE INTERNET

  • Effective interface/Web design
  • Underlying cognitive principles
  • Social effect of Internet use

PSYCHOLOGY APPLIED TO PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS

  • Clinical assessment
  • Treatment models
  • Community psychology, psychosocial rehabilitation, and prevention
  • Health education

PSYCHOLOGY APPLIED TO EDUCATION

  • Student group work and cooperation in learning
  • Student motivation
  • Teacher knowledge, skills, and effectiveness
  • Dealing with diverse student abilities
  • Teaching reading and writing
    Development and evaluation of instructional materials

PSYCHOLOGY APPLIED TO CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

  • Consumer cognitive activity
  • Persuasion and compliance heuristics
  • Contextual aspects of consumer choice
  • Psychological models of consumer behavior

PSYCHOLOGY APPLIED TO INDUSTRY AND ORGANIZATIONS

  • Job performance
  • Employee testing and assessment
  • Training and development
  • Human behavior and safety issues
  • Human behavior and stress issues

PSYCHOLOGY APPLIED TO THE LEGAL SYSTEM

  • Law enforcement psychology
  • Psychology of litigation
  • Correctional psychology
  • Forensic psychology

PSYCHOLOGY APPLIED TO THE ENVIRONMENT

  • Consideration of the person and environment as one unit
  • Office design
  • Ecological design
  • Computer-assisted virtual reality

PSYCHOLOGY APPLIED TO PRODUCT DESIGN

  • Product design standards in computers, medicine, and transportation
  • Human factors issues
  • Smart products
  • Use of technology in product design

PSYCHOLOGY APPLIED TO TRANSPORTATION AND AVIATION

  • Tasks and decision-making
  • Aircraft flight deck design
  • Pilot simulations
  • Crew resource management

PSYCHOLOGY APPLIED TO ANIMAL TRAINING

  • Animal learning
  • Canine search and rescue, guard training
  • Dogs as assistance animals
  • Chemical and drug detection
  • Animal assisted therapy
  • Zoo applications

PSYCHOLOGY AND THE PARANORMAL

  • Types and examples of paranormal activity
  • Critical analysis of paranormal activity
  • Uses of the media
  • Applied research on the paranormal

PSYCHOLOGY APPLIED TO THE FUTURE

  • Aging society and the elderly
  • Expanding the breath of applied psychology
  • International focus

The faculty here in the Department of Applied Psychology investigate important issues in applied research:

  • Professor Ron Deluga’s research investigates the relationship between leadership style and how leaders are perceived.
  • Professor Heather Lacey’s research investigates how people make assumptions about the circumstances that will make them happier, and how these assumptions guide choices and behaviors.
  • Professor Janet Morahan-Martin’s research investigates how excessive use of the Internet may lead to social difficulties (Internet Addiction).
  • Professor Joe Trunzo’s research focuses on coping with and preventing various types of cancer. His current research project is funded by the National Cancer Institute and investigates the relationships among distress, problem-solving ability, and tobacco and alcohol use in relatives of patients diagnosed with cancer of the head and/or neck.
  • Professor Nanci Weinberger’s research focuses on family child care, center-based care, and home environments. In particular, she is interested in the role of the physical environment on infant, toddler, and preschool behavior.