When you first consider it, psychology and computers may appear to be two completely distinct areas. Computer scientists create software and code algorithms to aid people with their daily tasks and psychologists study human behavior and mental well-being. In real life, these two fields overlap on many levels. In fact some of the most interesting research being conducted in both fields involves mixing computer science and psychology.
In terms of research in psychology, technological advances in computer science have made it easier to conduct psychological studies. For example FMRI scanners permit psychologists to identify which parts of the www.rebootdata.net/dealing-with-stress-in-kids-and-teens brain are stimulated during particular thoughts or actions. Online questionnaires also eliminate biases that are inherent in pencil and paper surveys.
However, it’s the cooperation between psychologists and computer scientists which has truly transformed the way we interact with technology. The Psychology of Human-Computer Interaction, published in 1983 by three researchers from Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, Stuart Card, Thomas Moran and Allen Newell, was one of the most significant developments in the merging.
It shifted research into the way computers are used by people into the realms of computer science. This removed psychological methods from their context in humans and forced psychologists to catch up. Psychological branches that were already dealing with evaluations using numbers like psychometricians found the computer science method especially suited to their research.
Today, psychologists are working with computer scientists in the development of AI that can better understand human behaviour. Psychologists are helping develop ethical guidelines for algorithms able to predict depression risk based on a person’s social media activity. And psychologists are using cognitive behavioral therapy to create virtual reality, which can be used to treat anxiety and other disorders.