<P> Evolutionary psychology explores the evolutionary roots of mental and behavioral patterns, and posits that common patterns may have emerged because they were highly adaptive for humans in the environments of their evolutionary past--even if some of these patterns are maladaptive in today's environments . Fields closely related to evolutionary psychology are animal behavioral ecology, human behavioral ecology, dual inheritance theory, and sociobiology . Evolutionary psychology is distinct from, although related to, behavioral genetics . Memetics, founded by Richard Dawkins, is a related but competing field that proposes that cultural evolution can occur in a Darwinian sense but independently of Mendelian mechanisms; it therefore examines the ways in which thoughts, or memes, may evolve independently of genes . </P> <P> Forensic psychology applies psychology to legal cases, covering a broad range of practices including the clinical evaluations of defendants, reports to judges and attorneys, and courtroom testimony on given issues . Forensic psychologists are appointed by the court or hired by attorneys to evaluate defendants' competency to stand trial, competency to be executed, sanity, and need for involuntary commitment . Forensic psychologists provide sentencing recommendations, evaluate sex offenders and treatments, and provide recommendations to the court through written reports and testimony . Many of the questions the court asks the forensic psychologist go ultimately to legal issues, although a psychologist cannot answer legal questions . For example, there is no definition of sanity in psychology . Rather, sanity is a legal definition that varies from place to place throughout the world . Therefore, a prime qualification of a forensic psychologist is an intimate understanding of the law, especially criminal law . </P> <P> Health psychology is the application of psychological theory and research to health, illness and health care . Whereas clinical psychology focuses on mental health and neurological illness, health psychology is concerned with the psychology of a much wider range of health - related behavior including healthy eating, the doctor - patient relationship, a patient's understanding of health information, and beliefs about illness . Health psychologists may be involved in public health campaigns, examining the impact of illness or health policy on quality of life and in research into the psychological impact of health and social care . </P> <P> Industrial and organizational psychology (I-O) applies psychological concepts and methods to optimize human potential in the workplace . Personnel psychology, a subfield of I-O psychology, applies the methods and principles of psychology in selecting and evaluating workers . I-O psychology's other subfield, organizational psychology, examines the effects of work environments and management styles on worker motivation, job satisfaction, and productivity . </P>

The sub-field of psychology that emphasizes psychology's role in health and wellness is called