Academic psychology is a system of theories, methods and research recognized by the majority of the scientific community and approved as a standard by the expert community of a state academy or other scientific specialized industry parent organization.
Practical psychology is a psychology focused on practice and focused on working with the population: engaged in educational work, providing psychological services and psychological goods to the population: books, consultations and trainings. From this point of view, practical psychology is education, enlightenment, the service sector plus business.
Grounds for opposition
Practical psychology is sometimes opposed to theoretical or research psychology, but the fact is that practical psychology does not consist of one practice, it has its own theory and its own research.
Okay, but why is practical psychology opposed to academic psychology? The point is that academic psychology usually gravitates toward fundamentalism, toward science for the sake of science, and then its natural pole is practical, applied psychology. See →
Comparative advantages and disadvantages
Academic psychology is characterized by a broad cultural outlook, a deep methodological analysis, and a vision of trends. On the other hand, it is characterized by detachment from practice and unwillingness to respond to the requests of ordinary people.
The tasks of practical assistance, practical training or development go beyond the scope of academic psychology. They are engaged in pedagogy and practical psychology. (see →). Practical psychology helps people in difficult life situations, enlightens, teaches, educates, corrects and develops.
As for the minuses, then, in comparison with academic, practical psychology is usually more superficial, fragmentary (“cut on the knee”), filled with esotericism and mysticism, sometimes harmful.
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- Some clarifications: academic, practical and pop psychology