Forensic psychology and neuropsychology are two intriguing fields of study. Both are relatively new, too, which adds to their allure for prospective psychologists.
And while these fields share some common threads – for example, both fields involve studying and explaining human behavior – their applications are very different. Likewise, as you will learn in the following comparison, forensic psychologists and neuropsychologists differ in their common work environments and educational requirements, among other areas.
Let’s explore some of the differences between these fields to build a better understanding of what you can expect as a potential forensic psychologist or neuropsychologist.
Forensic Psychology Vs Neuropsychology
Forensic psychology focuses on the intersection of psychology and the law, often involving court cases, evaluations, and expert testimony. Neuropsychology, on the other hand, focuses on how brain injuries or diseases impact behavior and cognitive functions. While both specialize in understanding the brain, their applications and settings differ considerably.
Forensic psychology is a relatively narrow field. Neuropsychology, meanwhile, is a broader study of the relationship between the brain and behavior.
Core Differences
As someone involved in forensic psychology, you might:
- Evaluate the mental state of a defendant to determine competency to stand trial.
- Offer expert testimony on issues like the credibility of eyewitnesses or the mental health of an individual.
- Help law enforcement agencies in criminal profiling or consult on child custody disputes.
As mentioned above, neuropsychology focuses on how the brain’s structures and functions relate to specific psychological processes and behaviors. As a neuropsychologist:
- You might assess a patient’s cognitive functions after a traumatic brain injury.
- Work with individuals who have neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s to evaluate their cognitive decline.
- Develop rehabilitation strategies for stroke victims to regain lost cognitive abilities.
Let’s assume you are a forensic psychologist who has been hired by a defense attorney to assist with a case. You might be asked to prepare a witness for trial by helping them practice giving testimony in a mock trial setting.
In this case, you would use your understanding of basic human behavior to prepare the defendant for the stressors of testifying. You might also provide them with feedback about their tone of voice, their level of eye contact, and their body language and how those cues can help (or hurt) their testimony in court.
Furthermore, you might also work with victims of crime, offering counseling services, or conducting research on the psychological effects of crime. The roles and responsibilities are varied, but they all revolve around the legal system and its various players.
Now let’s assume you are a neuropsychologist who frequently works with a medical doctor to evaluate patients. In this case, you have been asked to conduct a neuropsychological evaluation of a patient with Alzheimer’s disease. Your assessment might look at the current structure and function of the brain, examine the integrity of the patient’s memory, and evaluate the patient’s current strengths and weaknesses in light of the advancement of their condition.
In another case, suppose, for instance, a patient suffers a traumatic brain injury in a car accident. As a neuropsychologist, you might be asked to assess the extent of cognitive impairment the patient has sustained. This could involve a series of tests to determine memory function, attention span, problem-solving abilities, and other cognitive faculties.
Your work might also touch on conditions like dementia, learning disorders, or the effects of tumors and strokes on cognitive functions. In some settings, neuropsychologists work alongside neurologists and other medical professionals to provide a holistic treatment approach for patients.
These examples demonstrate how different the applications of these fields can be. In the first example, the forensic psychologist uses their expertise to assist a client in improving their performance in a very specific situation. In the second example, the neuropsychologist conducts detailed evaluations to inform a treatment approach for a patient with a serious mental health disorder.
Aside from the differences in the application of these fields, there are also practical differences regarding the typical work environments and educational requirements, which are discussed below. As we will explore a little later, though, forensic psychology and neuropsychology aren’t always two distinct fields.
Differences in Work Environment
Forensic psychologists most frequently provide their services in the context of the criminal justice system. In some cases, forensic psychologists are self-employed and are contracted to provide their services to a variety of stakeholders, such as attorneys, courts, and insurance companies.
In other cases, forensic psychologists might be employed directly by large law firms, law enforcement agencies, or facilities like prisons or mental health rehabilitation centers. Regardless of the work environment, the focus of forensic psychologists remains on the relationship between behavior and criminality.
For example, a forensic psychologist working in a prison setting might offer counseling services to detainees as a mechanism for exploring why they committed their crime. Furthermore, a forensic psychologist in this setting might develop a pre-release program that helps offenders recognize how their behavior contributed to their criminality and seek to reduce the likelihood of recidivism.
As another example, a forensic psychologist working for a local police department might use their understanding of human behavior and criminality to provide a range of services. For example, they might conduct criminal profiling, provide forensic evaluations of suspects, or train officers to be more aware of risk factors that lead to criminal behavior.
Forensic psychologists might also work in other fields, such as:
- Psychological research (e.g., investigating any links between being a bully as a child and the likelihood of committing crimes as an adult)
- Academics (e.g., as a professor at a university)
- Hospitals (e.g., conducting forensic psychological evaluations of victims of crimes)
Neuropsychologists, on the other hand, frequently work in clinical and research settings. Like forensic psychologists, some neuropsychologists are self-employed and provide their services to clients on a contractual basis. Other neuropsychologists are employed by mental health clinics, hospitals, and research centers, to name a few. Again, no matter the specific work environment, the primary concern of neuropsychologists is the relationship between the brain and behavior.
For example, a neuropsychologist might be on staff at a large hospital to provide evaluations and assessments of patients who have had a stroke. In this context, a neuropsychologist might conduct a battery of tests to determine the extent of the cognitive damage done by the stroke, such as deficits in executive functioning, memory, and visual perception, to name a few.
Not all neuropsychologists work in hospital settings, though. A good example of this is the burgeoning field of neuropsychological research. In this application, neuropsychologists perform studies on human subjects to learn more about how the brain’s functioning impacts behavior. So, the subject of the research might be Parkinson’s disease, and the neuropsychologist’s function would be to evaluate the functioning of Parkinson’s patients to develop a clearer picture of how the disease progresses and impacts daily functioning of patients.
Other common work environments for neuropsychologists include the following:
- Pharmaceutical industry (e.g., testing the neurocognitive effects of new drugs)
- Academics (e.g., as a professor at a university)
- Rehabilitation facilities (e.g., evaluating patients with spinal cord injuries)
Differences in Education
If you want to become a forensic psychologist, you will need at least a master’s degree in forensic psychology to start your career. A master’s degree in this field usually takes two to three years to complete and might include coursework and field experiences during which time you can apply your learning in a real-world environment.
For example, you might take courses in the following:
- Psychological assessment
- Jurisprudence
- Juvenile delinquency
- Behavioral criminology
- Family law
Many forensic psychology graduate programs also require a research component, like a master’s thesis or capstone experience. The culminating experience of many programs is a field placement in a forensic setting (e.g., completing 100 hours of supervised practice in a legal setting, like an attorney’s office).
To increase your employment prospects, earning a doctorate in forensic psychology is advisable, though not required. Most forensic psychology doctoral programs require about five years of study and extensive fieldwork before the degree is conferred.
If you want to become a neuropsychologist, a doctorate is widely considered a must-have (though some master’s-level jobs are available). While the progression of studies is the same for neuropsychology as it is for forensic psychology (get a bachelor’s degree first, then a master’s, and then a doctorate), the course of study is different.
For example, while forensic psychologists focus on coursework that blends psychology and the law, neuropsychologists study areas like:
- Physiological psychology
- Developmental psychopathology
- Cognitive neuroscience
- Communication disorders
- Research methods and design
Doctoral programs in neuropsychology are often heavily focused on research, too. You can expect to spend much of your time in a laboratory setting. You can also expect to complete a dissertation before your degree is conferred.
Do Forensic Psychologists Study the Brain?
Unlike neuropsychology, the study of forensic psychology does not focus specifically on the brain. However, all psychologists are involved in some regard with the study of the brain, as it is an integral component of human behavior.
For example, research indicates there might be a link between childhood brain damage and adult criminal behavior. Likewise, research suggests certain neural substrates are associated with criminality. These and other areas of brain-based research might be of interest to forensic psychologists.
Can Neuropsychologists Work in Forensics?
Yes. On the one hand, neuropsychologists frequently consult or collaborate with forensic psychologists. On the other hand, forensic neuropsychology is an emerging field that marries the skill sets of neuropsychology and forensic psychology. Let’s take a look at a couple of examples to illustrate how this works.
Let’s assume you are a neuropsychologist who specializes in evaluating people with traumatic brain injuries. Let’s also assume that a person with a traumatic brain injury is accused of committing a crime. In this case, you might be asked by a forensic psychologist to use your neuropsychological evaluation skills to help determine if the defendant is competent to stand trial.
Now let’s assume you are a forensic neuropsychologist. This might be thought of as “cutting out the middleman.” So, rather than consulting with a forensic psychologist on a case, you would provide the forensic neuropsychology services directly to the client. For example, you might be hired by an insurance company to evaluate a claimant’s cognitive functioning after claiming an injury in an automobile accident.
These are just two examples – the possibilities for neuropsychologists to work in forensics are virtually limitless, and the opportunities to do so are only expanding.
Which is Better? Forensic Psychology Or Neuropsychology?
The choice of which of these fields is better is purely situational – in some cases, forensic psychology is the more appropriate option, and in others, neuropsychology provides better insights.
For example, let’s say you’re a police detective who has been called to provide expert testimony in a criminal trial. A forensic psychologist would be the more appropriate option to prepare you for that experience, given their greater understanding of the proceedings of trials.
Having said that, let’s say you have a loved one who has shown signs of memory loss, and you are concerned that they might have dementia. In this case, a neuropsychologist is the more appropriate professional to turn to, given their expertise in understanding the workings of the brain.
If you are a student trying to decide which of these fields to study, the one that’s better is the one that better aligns with your educational and career goals. If you dream of a career in law enforcement working as a criminal profiler, forensic psychology is the better option. But if you see yourself in a research role investigating cognitive disorders and potential treatments, neuropsychology is a better bet.
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