Friday, September 7, 2012

Mirror Mirror


I woke up today with a thought asking myself what if mankind never invented the mirror. Besides the countless number of hours we spend in front of a mirror; dressing up, doing the hair, applying makeup and/or just admiring ourselves.


What would be the psychological or emotional impact upon us humans when we’ve never seen ourselves? I guess I’m getting at self-psychology. Of course from a physical standpoint we might look untidy, our hair out of place, the pimples on our face less of a concern, our yellowing teeth outside our consciences.

We, after all, judge others based in part on how they look. We in many subtle ways compare other’s with our own sense of ourselves. And, we would still compare people amongst themselves. For example I mightn’t compare Tom Cruise with my self but I can compare him with someone else.

When Erik Erikson talked about identity it of course much more than simply how we look. Erikson’s framework rests upon a distinction among the psychological sense of continuity or the “self”, the personal idiosyncrasies that separate one person from the next, and the collection of social roles that a person might play i.e the social identity.

Erikson's work, in the psychodynamic tradition, aimed to investigate the process of identity formation across a lifespan. Progressive strength in the self-identity, for example, can be charted in terms of a series of stages in which identity is formed in response to increasingly sophisticated challenges. Now I’m not for a minute suggesting that one’s image in the mirror is the sole source of identity formation – more so asking what part it plays if any.

Monday, September 3, 2012

The Increase Of Psychology-Related Professions




While salaries can vary, the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics predicts a faster than average growth for psychologists. Job opportunities will be the most plentiful for those with doctoral degrees in applied specialty areas such as Counselling or Health Psychology.

School psychology is also cited as an area that will experience strong growth in the coming years as awareness of the mental health needs of children increases. As issues such as behaviour problems, bullying and learning disorders become more prominent, the demand for qualified school psychologists will go up.

The following psychology-related professions have a strong projected job outlook.


Psychology-Related Professions

Average Salary


Remarks

Career or Vocational Counsellor


$46K

Due to the rapidly changing job market, the demand for this speciality is in large demand.  


School Psychologist


$60K

U.S. News and World Report named school psychology one of the top ten "hot professions."

In the US the demand for qualified school psychologists exceeds the number of candidates available, which means that job opportunities are plentiful.


Counsellor


$48K

Nearly half of all counsellors work in health care or social welfare settings, while another 11-percent work for state and local governments.


Genetics Counsellor


$70K

Supported by advances in genetic diagnostics this speciality provides support, guidance and assistance to families who have a family member with a genetic disorder or who may be at risk of passing down an inherited disorder to their offspring.


Forensic Psychologist


$60K

This has rapidly become one of the hottest psychology career trends thanks to numerous portrayals in popular movies, television programs and books.



Engineering Psychologist



$80K


Those working in academic settings report the lowest earnings, while those working in the private sector report higher salaries.


Clinical Psychologist


$63K

Clinical psychology is the single largest employment area within psychology.


Sports Psychologist


$45K – $80K





Industrial-Organizational Psychologist


$100K

While there are some job opportunities at the master's-degree level, those with a doctoral-level degree in industrial-organizational psychology are in greater demand and command significantly higher salaries.


Special Education Teacher


$47K

Because of the increased enrolments in special education programs and a shortage of qualified teachers, job demand is strong and expected to grow.