The field of behavioral psychology lends itself to debate well, due to its highly objective nature. Behaviorists seek to interpret the human psyche by examining the development of an individual's learned behaviors. They assume that every individual is born with a black slate, or "tabula rasa," and through stimuli and conditioning, the individual's character is forged. Behaviorist often debate whether observable actions should be the only basis for approaching behavioral issues and the degree that environmental factors play in influencing behavior.
Developmental psychologists study the progress of the human psyche as it develops over a lifetime. A line can be coarsely drawn between the two schools of developmental psychology. Proponents of the continuous development model argue that the individual smoothly transitions into adulthood from childhood. On the other hand, supporters of the discontinuous model argue that development is incremental and that the individual passes through several distinct phases over a lifetime.
The study of clinical psychology focuses on psychological disorders which may be disruptive to daily life or overall the development of an individual. Clinical psychologists often debate how disruptive psychological disorders are to the individual, but they also debate the success of psychological diagnoses. The empirically supported treatment concept classifies psychologists as either scientist or practitioners, and argues that every psychological disorder must be supported by strong empirical evidence.
The field of social psychology examines the relationships between individuals. Social psychology's many subdivisions makes the field a hotbed for debate, covering topics ranging from anger and forgiveness to social boundaries and sexuality. Social psychologist look to zero in on the underlying elements that generate gender roles, self-identification, violence and familial problems.