Psychology isn’t an exception. Technology has an impact on or affects almost every aspect of our lives today, including psychology. The same way that technology affects the way people behave and think, work, and behave psychologists also utilize technology to understand and study mental illness, as well as treat them. Technology also aids psychologists with their research, allowing them to collect and analyze data much quicker and more precisely than they would otherwise. Technology is a crucial part of psychology research and treatment. From using computers to perform imaging using fMRI, to developing electronic tools for analyzing and tracking symptoms in patients with depression or anxiety.
Additionally, technology affects the interaction between humans and the digital systems they interact with on a daily basis. Many of the most renowned technology companies have large departments of psychologists who are experts in human cognition and perception. They conduct research to understand how people react to certain designs, and provide recommendations in line with their findings. In reality, most of the time you’re using a piece of technology, be it your phone or Facebook, you’re benefiting 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 detect and interpret emotions. For example, his team has developed a model which can allow computers to detect when a user is about to become angry or anxious, so that it can intervene before it happens.