170. What is a psychologist?

Psychologists are social scientists and/or professional health care providers with training and expertise in the areas of human behavior and psychological health.

As social scientists, psychologists have conducted extensive research, over the past 100 years, to further our knowledge about human behavior, human development, psychological problems, the measurement and understanding of personality characteristics, and other important areas of knowledge about how people think, feel and behave.

As health care professionals, psychologists apply what they have learned about human behavior, human development, psychological problems, the measurement and understanding of personality characteristics, and other important areas of knowledge about how people think, feel and behave, to help people resolve personal adjustment problems, overcome emotional illness, and sek a better understanding of themselves. A professional psychologist has broad knowledge about human behavior, and understands how to apply that knowledge to help people change.