Dd wants to be a research psychologist- is it worth while?

[bullinchina]

My dd has just started her undergrad in psych, and really likes the process of researching and writing an essay. For this reason shes decided that she wants to aim to be a research psychologist. I dont know the first thing about any of this, as dd is a first gen uni student, but im worried as online it seems that academia is in decline? Should i maybe steer her away?

Research is what drives the development of modern medicine and therapies. Will working in that field make your DD rich? Quite probably not. Will she be doing valuable work that will make life better for many people? Absolutely yes. Think about where your priorities lie.

are the salaries generally enough to live on?

I'm a research psychologist. It's so good she's thinking of it now. There will always be psychology students to teach, we are one of the best recruiting degrees, and we are also one of the few departments in my university not to lose anyone through redundancy.
Society is waking up to how psychology can help with so many things. This week I summarised research what has been found out about puberty blockers in the last 3 years for the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, worked out when I can train some field workers in Kenya on how to ask parents questions about their children's languages, and started discussing what we're teaching first years next term about research methods and academic integrity.
Some academic fields are secure though to be honest some are not! But it's very worthwhile.

It's tough in London but most universities aren't in London...

So you are only concerned on whether she will be well off not on what she wants to actually do. Sounds very money orientated and shallow

Well, if academics' children were on FSM and they couldn't afford rent or mortgage I'd understand her position as you don't really do a degree to earn NMW permanently but it's not that bad!

The Civil service hires research psychs, lots of them, academia isn’t the only route. Salaries are ok - 50/60 for experienced psychs.

Not everyone has the privilege of nit worrying about money🙄🙄🙄🙄. My husbands a taxi driver and im a carer you think we get enjoyment out of those jobs? No but it (barely) pays the bills so we do it. Unfortunately we really wont be able to financially help out dd, other than always providing her a rent free place to live and the associated benefits that come with that. Realistically money must be taken into account when choosing a career payh

Into account yes but the idea of education is to have choices. Not be forced to take a path you don't want just because of money

And I've never been " well off " myself. Never " financially helped" adult kids to any great extent etc.

And taxi drivers are on poverty wages etc. Know a few of them, all managed to buy houses and pay their bills.

The salaries are absolutely liveable on, and the opportunities for promotion are considerable.

Obviously im not forcing dd to do anything. This is all her choice, and i dont see how asking if a potential career will be financially viable to live off is shallow?

Of course it will be viable. As you said you manage to live of your own wages in non graduate jobs

This is great to hear. Dd is planning on talking to her lecturers and her personal tutor about being a research psychologist and aims to do a placement year as a research assistant. Shes always wanted to make an impact on peoples lives and thinks this would be a great way to do it

And she'll figure that out
She's just started a degree. She may well change her mind about her career aspirations but it isn't your place to influence whether her job will earn enough for you. I'm sure whatever happens she will follow your work ethic and provide for herself as you have taught her

Yes, with the aid of benefits. I hope that when the time comes my dd wouldn’t need that support if all goes well

See i don't get benefits and earn under 20k a year. I not only ' survive' but enjoy life. Ok im not materialistic in the slightest so don't do " stuff" but am happy

Wdym dont do stuff?

I think it’s very sensible to be thinking about a salary that gives a decent standard of living. Money gives you choices in life. Yes, of course you want her to enjoy her job, but life if very expensive now. What’s the point in all of the student debt only to struggle by with the help of benefits. Surely no one wants that for their children.

Yes, I agree. I don’t know why OP is getting a hard time here. The cost of living is going up all the time and of course parents will hope their children don’t have to struggle and worry about money, especially if they’ve had to struggle themselves and especially when they know there isn’t generational wealth to fall back on.

“Enough to live on” isn’t the same as “well off”.

I would support her in her dreams but psychology is extremely competitive further up. She'll have to get top grades.

Psychology as a whole is highly competitive and over populated area to work on. No reason why she can’t be a lucky one but just allow her to understand there’s many of us already out there with psychology degrees and it’s not an area you can just walk into a job with a single degree 😊 on the other hand it’s a very broad area to work in so overall it is a good choice that way

I'm an academic psychologist. It's worth her asking the department she is in for internal research internships during her summers and opportunities for being a research assistant now. Getting on publications before she graduates is a huge bonus in the job market. It is competitive though, the hours are very long in academia (I've just logged off and will log in again at 5am tomorrow to get some work in before DC wake up and I'll work tomorrow evening too) and the pay isn't worth the hours but it's interesting work and very variable as you are teaching, researching, engaging with external audiences.

@bullinchina

This page could be useful, OP.

https://www.bps.org.uk/career-options-in-psychology