Psychology is no different. Technology affects or impacts almost every aspect of our lives today, including psychology. The same way that technology influences how people behave, work, and think, psychologists also use technology to explore and understand mental illness, and to treat them. The technology also helps psychologists in their research by giving them the ability to gather and analyze data much faster and more precise than they otherwise be able to. Technology is a crucial part of the field of psychological research and treatment. From using computers for imaging using fMRI, to developing electronic tools for evaluating and tracking symptoms in patients suffering from anxiety or depression.
Technology can also impact the way that humans interact with the digital systems they interact daily. A lot of the world’s most famous technology companies have large departments that are staffed by psychologists who are experts in human cognition and perception, who carry out studies to determine how users react to certain designs, and then recommend changes accordingly. The majority of the time when you use a piece technology, such as your phone or Facebook you benefit from 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 focuses on “affective computing,” which is the study of how computers can detect and interpret emotions. His team, for example has developed a mathematical model that could aid computers in predicting when a person is about to be angry or stressed and decide on the appropriate course of action before the event happens.