Are you interested in pursuing a career in Psychology? If you are planning on attaining a degree in Psychology, it is important to review all of your options and match these options to your career goals before you commit to any specific educational route. Within the field of psychology there are dozens of different applied subfields and Engineering Psychology is one of these. Engineering psychologists can work in a variety of different settings in both the public and the private sector, and serve many different functions in maximizing the abilities of humans and preventing human error based on behavior. Read on and learn about the history of this subfield so that you can decide if it is the right occupation for you.
When and Why Was Engineering Psychology Created?
Understanding the back story of specific careers is important and can be very interesting. While the discipline of psychology is becoming more interesting as technology continues to advance our understanding of the human psyche, engineering psychology is a subfield that came into existence sometime between WWI and WWII. As a field that started off as a form of experimental psychology, demand for psychologists grew originally as people used technology in the military and as citizens used technology in their daily personal and professional lives. The field has truly grown to become one that is dedicated to improving health, safety and the quality of the human life.
Workplace Environments in Engineering Psychology
In ways, engineering psychologists are interdisciplinary professionals who make the technology that humans use regularly easier to use, safer, and more reliable. Depending upon the employer, you could work with anything from medical equipment and military equipment to motor vehicles and traffic systems, and the duties that you perform will depend on your specialization. Specializations in the interdisciplinary subfield of Engineering Psychology include: Education, Product Design, Performance, Aerospace, Usability, Workplace Safety and Health. Professionals in the field can work for the government, corporations in the private sector, and even for universities depending on the demand for their specialization.
What is the Day in the Life of an Engineering Psychologist Like?
Tasks that are performed by engineering psychologists can be unique depending upon the project that they are assigned. One day, a professional may do research to analyze how people in a corporation or a demographic region interact with technology. Another day, this same professional can make suggestions on how to make technology easier to use or more accessible. Yet another day, an engineering psychologist can create designs for safer products that will help humans perform their jobs or live day to day life while minimizing accidents.
Professionals in engineering psychology can earn between $48,000 and $179,160 per year based on experience and education. With more and more companies focusing on workplace safety and error minimization, the need for engineers in their field is on the rise. Start reviewing different degree programs with a concentration in the discipline, and fill in the gap that exists between supply and demand so that you can find employment fast and gain experience in a rewarding field that shows a lot of promise.
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