Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSpecific Branches of PsychologyTopics Involving a Disorder or Type of TherapyHuman CognitionHuman DevelopmentCritique of PublicationsFamous ExperimentsHistorical FiguresSpecific CareersCase StudiesLiterature ReviewsYour Own Study/Experiment

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Specific Branches of Psychology

Topics Involving a Disorder or Type of Therapy

Human Cognition

Human Development

Critique of Publications

Famous Experiments

Historical Figures

Specific Careers

Case Studies

Literature Reviews

Your Own Study/Experiment

Close

Are you searching for a great topic for yourpsychology paper? Sometimes it seems like coming up with topics of psychology research is more challenging than the actual research and writing. Fortunately, there are plenty of great places to find inspiration and the following list contains just a few ideas to help get you started.

Finding a solid topic is one of the most important steps when writing any type of paper. It can be particularly important when you are writing a psychology research paper or essay. Psychology is such a broad topic, so you want to find a topic that allows you to adequately cover the subject without becoming overwhelmed with information.

I can always tell when a student really cares about the topic they chose; it comes through in the writing. My advice is to choose a topic that genuinely interests you, so you’ll be more motivated to do thorough research.—SHANNON SAUER-ZAVALA, PHD, LICENSED CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF PSYCHOLOGY

I can always tell when a student really cares about the topic they chose; it comes through in the writing. My advice is to choose a topic that genuinely interests you, so you’ll be more motivated to do thorough research.

—SHANNON SAUER-ZAVALA, PHD, LICENSED CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF PSYCHOLOGY

In some cases, such as in a general psychology class, you might have the option to select any topic from within psychology’s broad reach. Other instances, such as in anabnormal psychologycourse, might require you to write your paper on a specific subject such as a psychological disorder.

psychology paper research topics

Research Topics Within Specific Branches of Psychology

The key to selecting a good topic for your psychology paper is to select something that is narrow enough to allow you to really focus on the subject, but not so narrow that it is difficult to find sources or information to write about.

Other social psychology topics you might consider include:

13 Types of Common Cognitive Biases That Might Be Impairing Your Judgment

Psychology Research Topics Involving a Disorder or Type of Therapy

Exploring a psychological disorder or a specific treatment modality can also be agood topicfor a psychology paper. Some potential abnormal psychology topics include specific psychological disorders or particular treatment modalities, including:

List of Psychological Disorders

Some of the possible topics you might explore in this area include thinking, language, intelligence, and decision-making. Other ideas might include:

In this area, you might opt to focus on issues pertinent toearly childhoodsuch as language development, social learning, or childhood attachment or you might instead opt to concentrate on issues that affect older adults such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

Some other topics you might consider include:

Do a Critique of Publications Involving Psychology Research Topics

One option is to consider writing a critique paper of a published psychology book or academic journal article. For example, you might write a critical analysis of Sigmund Freud’s Interpretation of Dreams or you might evaluate a more recent book such as Philip Zimbardo’sThe Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil.

Professional and academic journals are also great places to find materials for a critique paper. Browse through the collection at your university library to find titles devoted to the subject that you are most interested in, then look through recent articles until you find one that grabs your attention.

There have been many fascinating and groundbreaking experiments throughout the history of psychology, providing ample material for students looking for an interesting term paper topic. In your paper, you might choose to summarize the experiment, analyze the ethics of the research, or evaluate the implications of the study. Possible experiments that you might consider include:

Topics of Psychology Research About Historical Figures

One of the simplest ways to find a great topic is to choose an interesting person in thehistory of psychologyand write a paper about them. Your paper might focus on many different elements of the individual’s life, such as their biography, professional history, theories, or influence on psychology.

While this type of paper may be historical in nature, there is no need for this assignment to be dry or boring. Psychology is full of fascinating figures rife with intriguing stories and anecdotes. Consider such famous individuals as Sigmund Freud, B.F. Skinner, Harry Harlow, or one of the many othereminent psychologists.

Psychology Research Topics About a Specific Career

​Another possible topic, depending on the course in which you are enrolled, is to write about specific career paths within thefield of psychology. This type of paper is especially appropriate if you are exploring different subtopics or considering which area interests you the most.

In your paper, you might opt to explore the typical duties of a psychologist, how much people working in these fields typically earn, and the different employment options that are available.

Topics of Psychology Research Involving Case Studies

One potentially interesting idea is to write apsychology case studyof a particular individual or group of people. In this type of paper, you will provide an in-depth analysis of your subject, including a thorough biography.

Generally, you will also assess the person, often using a major psychological theory such asPiaget’s stages of cognitive developmentorErikson’s eight-stage theory of human development. It is also important to note that your paper doesn’t necessarily have to be about someone you know personally.

In fact, many professors encourage students to write case studies on historical figures or fictional characters from books, television programs, or films.

Psychology Research Topics Involving Literature Reviews

Another possibility that would work well for a number of psychology courses is to do a literature review of a specific topic within psychology. A literature review involves finding a variety of sources on a particular subject, then summarizing and reporting on what these sources have to say about the topic.

Literature reviews are generally found in theintroductionof journal articles and otherpsychology papers, but this type of analysis also works well for a full-scale psychology term paper.

Topics of Psychology Research Based on Your Own Study or Experiment

Many psychology courses require students to design an actual psychological study or perform some type of experiment. In some cases, students simply devise the study and then imagine the possible results that might occur. In other situations, you may actually have the opportunity to collect data, analyze your findings, and write up your results.

Online sources, newspaper articles,books, journal articles, and even your own class textbook are all great places to start searching for topics for your experiments and psychology term papers. Before you begin, learn more abouthow to conduct a psychology experiment.

What This Means For You

After looking at this brief list of possible topics for psychology papers, it is easy to see that psychology is a very broad and diverse subject. While this variety makes it possible to find a topic that really catches your interest, it can sometimes make it very difficult for some students to select a good topic.

SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hockenbury, SE & Nolan, SA. Psychology. New York: Worth Publishers; 2014.Santrock, JW. A Topical Approach to Lifespan Development. New York: McGraw-Hill Education; 2016.

Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hockenbury, SE & Nolan, SA. Psychology. New York: Worth Publishers; 2014.Santrock, JW. A Topical Approach to Lifespan Development. New York: McGraw-Hill Education; 2016.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Hockenbury, SE & Nolan, SA. Psychology. New York: Worth Publishers; 2014.Santrock, JW. A Topical Approach to Lifespan Development. New York: McGraw-Hill Education; 2016.

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