The intersection of computers and psychology is a crucial juncture for innovative design and user-centered technology. However, it’s also where a lot of accidental harms to people happen. 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.
In the past, data collection in psychological research was based on two main methods: lab studies and surveys [1]. The former focus on a particular aspect in a small, controlled setting; while the latter measure broader behavior using self-report questionnaires or (potentially structured) interviews. Both have their own limitations.
Computers, however, are able to record and analyze vast amounts of information at a rapid speed, and in ways that traditional methods are unable to. This creates powerful new tools for psychological researchers which opens up a new field of research. 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 with domain expertise and computer scientists with the knowledge needed to construct large-scale systems, manage and model data.
But until recent, there was hardly any collaboration between these fields. For instance, Google directors have been more likely to study computer and computational science (29 percent of them were interested in it) and psychology (less than 2percent). This has led to a lack of psychology in the management of tech companies, and has had the result that many technology products fail to take into account psychological principles.
