Technology is a factor in virtually every aspect of modern life and it’s no different with regard to psychology. In the same way that technology affects how people behave and think, and how they work, psychologists employ technology to study, understand and even treat mental illnesses. Technology also aids psychologists with their research, allowing them to collect and analyze data much faster and more accurately than they could otherwise. Technology is an integral component of the field of psychological research and treatment. From using computers for FMRI imaging, to the development of electronic tools to track and evaluate symptoms in patients suffering from anxiety or depression.
Technology also impacts the way humans interact with the digital systems they interact with every day. Many of the world’s well-known technology companies have large departments of psychologists who are experts in human cognition and perception as well as conducting research to see how users respond to certain designs, and suggest changes in response. In fact, most of the time, when you’re using a piece of technology, be it your phone or Facebook you’re benefiting from the collaboration between psychology and computer science.
At Notre Dame, Sidney D’Mello is among the many researchers working on the intersection the two fields of psychology and computers. His research focuses on “affective computing,” which is the study of how computers recognize and interpret emotions. For example, his team has created a model that could allow a computer to detect when a user is about to become frustrated or anxious, so it can intervene before it occurs.