Sowing the Seeds: Academic Psychology as the Foundation for an Applied Psychology Community

Abstract

The present chapter aims to raise awareness about the area of psychology underlying the knowledge and experience of practicing psychologists. Indeed, the importance of supporting academic or research psychology cannot be underestimated for developing high-quality professional services in the UAE. One of the unique aspects of psychology as a professional field is that it draws upon a long and varied history of scientific enquiry, theory, and observation about the human mind and behavior. It is this broad foundation that enables psychologists to reliably predict, understand, and positively affect the people they work with in organizational, educational, and clinical settings.