Psychology isn’t any different. Technology has an impact on or affects almost every aspect of our lives today including psychology. Similar to how technology influences how people behave and think, they also affect how they work psychologists also utilize technology to investigate and understand mental illnesses, as well as to treat them. Technology also aids psychologists with their research by allowing them to collect and analyze data more quickly and precisely than they would otherwise. Technology is an integral component of psychology research and treatment. From using computers for imaging using fMRI, to developing electronic tools for analyzing and tracking symptoms of patients suffering from anxiety or depression.
Additionally, technology influences the way humans interact with the digital systems that they interact with on a daily basis. Many of the world’s most popular technology companies have vast departments that are staffed by psychologists who are experts in human perception and cognition conducting studies to discover how users react to certain designs, and suggest changes in response. In the majority of cases, when you are using a piece technology, such as your phone or Facebook you are benefiting by the collaboration between psychology and computer science.
Sidney D’Mello, a researcher at Notre Dame University, is one of the many researchers who work at the intersection of computers and psychology. His research is focused on “affective computing,” which is the study of how computers recognize and interpret emotions. For instance, his team has created a model that could allow a computer to predict when a user is likely to be frustrated or anxious, and can take action before that occurs.