The Intersection of Psychology and Computers

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The interaction between computers and psychology is a crucial juncture for innovative design and user-centered technology. However, it’s also where the majority of unwanted harms to individuals occur. That’s why we need psychologists to play a bigger role in tech development–particularly given that many technology companies change human behavior at scale and profit from behavioral changes, and generally embrace scientific innovation.

Traditionally, psychological research rely on two basic methods of data collection that are lab tests and surveys or interviews [1]. The former study a particular aspect in a small, controlled setting; the latter assess more general behavior with self-report questionnaires or (potentially structured) interviews. Both have inherent weaknesses.

Computers, however, can capture and analyze huge amounts of information at a rapid speed in ways that conventional methods cannot. This makes them powerful new tools for psychologists and open up a new field of research. For example, a new field called Psycho(neuro)informatics is emerging that merges psychology and computer science to develop models of human brains and intelligence. This requires a team of experts: psychologists with domain knowledge, and computer scientists who have the knowledge to design large-scale tracking systems and to manage and analyze the resulting data.

However, until recent, there was hardly any cooperation between the two fields. Google directors, for example are more likely have studied computational and computer science (29%) than psychology (less than two percent). This has led to psychologists not being represented in leadership at tech companies. The result is that technology products are often unable to take psychological aspects into consideration.