The Intersection of Psychology and Computers
The interplay between psychology and computers is essential for advancing and design of technology that is user-centric. However, it’s also the place where many unintended harms to people 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, research in psychology relies on two basic methods of data collection: lab experiments and surveys, or interviews [1]. The former examines a specific aspect in a controlled environment, while the latter evaluates general behaviour using self-reporting questions or (potentially) structured interviews. Both have their own limitations.
Computers, however store and analyze massive amounts of information at a rapid speed in ways that conventional methods can’t. This makes them powerful new tools for psychologists and open up a new realm of investigation. 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 composed of psychologists who have domain expertise and computer scientists with the knowledge necessary to build large-scale systems, manage and model data.
There was a lack of collaboration in the past. Google directors, for example are more likely have studied computational and computer science (29 percent) than psychology (less than two percent). This has likely led to psychologists being under-represented in leadership at tech companies–with a result that technology products are often unable to take psychological factors into account.
