The interplay between psychology and computers is essential for advancing and user-centered technology design. However, it’s also where a lot of harmful effects to people are unintentionally caused. 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 the collection of data in psychological research was based on two fundamental methods: lab experiments and surveys [1]. The first focuses on a particular aspect in a small controlled setting, while the latter evaluates general behavior using self-reporting questionnaires or (potentially) structured interviews. Both have inherent limitations.
Computers, however, can process and analyze large quantities of information at high speed. They can also do this in ways traditional methods are unable to. This makes them powerful tools for psychologists, opening up an entirely 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 of experts: psychologists with domain knowledge, and computer scientists who have the skills to build large-scale tracking systems and manage and model the data that results from it.
There was not much collaboration in the past. Google directors, for example are more likely to have studied computer and computational sciences (29%) than psychology (less that 2percent). This has led to the absence of psychology within the top management of tech companies. This has led to the result that many technology products do not consider psychological factors.