Psychology and Computers

Psychology and Computers

When you first think about it, computers and psychology could appear as two totally distinct fields. Psychologists study human behavior and health while computer scientists code algorithms and creating software that aids people complete everyday tasks. In real life, these two fields have a lot in common on many levels. Some of www.rebootdata.net/dealing-with-stress-in-kids-and-teens/ the most interesting research in both fields is being done by combining psychology and computer science.

In the field of psychological research technological advancements in computer science have made it easier to conduct psychological tests. For instance the fMRI scanners can help psychologists to determine which areas of the brain are stimulated during specific thoughts or actions. Online surveys also eliminate the biases inherent in pencil and paper surveys.

However, it’s the cooperation between psychologists and computer scientists which has truly transformed the interaction we have with technology. One of the most significant events in this fusion was in 1983 with the publication of The Psychology of Human-Computer Interaction by three scientists at the Palo Alto Research Center at Xerox, Stuart Card, Thomas Moran, and Allen Newell.

It also brought research on the way people use computers into domain of computer science. This detached psychological techniques from their human context and made it necessary for psychologists to catch up. Psychometricians and other branches of psychology that are concerned with numerical evaluations discovered the computer science method to be particularly useful.

In the present, psychologists and computer scientists are collaborating to create AI which can better understand human behavior. Psychologists are helping to develop ethical guidelines for algorithms that predict depression risk based on a person’s social media activity. Psychologists are incorporating cognitive behavior therapy into virtual reality to treat anxiety disorders and other disorders.