Psychology on Television
As people become more and more interested in trying to understand other peoples’ behaviour, or at least nosier, there has been a huge increase in the amount of psychological analysis on television.
While it is not always, and indeed sometimes rarely, a particularly ‘professional’ approach to psychology, it is none the less a very clear development in the way that psychology is perceived in every day life.
Working in psychology on television is just as hard to break in to as any other sort of career in television, with the old adage ‘It’s not what you know but who you know’ just as relevant. That said, working in psychology on television is a potential career choice for trained psychologists, but the career path and how you get on it is a real challenge. Being seen as an expert in your field is a great way to ensure you are seen by the producers and researchers that decide who is chosen to appear on television programmes, and being a ‘visible expert’ is important too. Do this by having a good media profile by commenting on relevant Twitter discussions, getting an agent and having an active website that’s professional and informative.
Types of Psychology on Television
Reality TelevisionAlthough some people may turn their noses up at reality television, it has certainly encouraged the trend for more psychological discussions, making there far more jobs on television for psychologists. This is also support by the huge increase in television channels, and the trend for reality show analysis on digital channels. You will note that it is often the same faces that pop up as the psychologists on these programmes, which highlights why the ‘who you know’ adage is true – once you have ‘got your foot in the door’ (as long as you do a good job) you will be asked back again. After all, this saves the researchers and bookers a task.