Many see psychology and computers as two distinct fields with very little in common. The consensus is that computer science is a field with strong research culture that is based on quantitative research while psychology is based on qualitative studies of human behavior and perception.
In fact, much of modern computer science is inspired by psychology. The design of technology interfaces — from car dashboards to aircraft cockpits, from computer operating systems to games controllers — is mostly driven by psychologists who work closely with computer scientists. A lot of psychological research requires sophisticated software to process huge data sets.
Psychologists are increasingly relying upon technology to expand their reach. The traditional methods for experimentation of psychology — studying the behavior of a specific individual in a controlled environment or assessing larger behavior patterns with self-report questionnaires and interviews — are not without limitations (experiments are limited to one experiment; longitudinal experiments are uncommon because of the difficulties of collecting and analyzing massive amounts of data).
Computer technology has given us new avenues to study the behavior of people. For instance the brain-imaging method fMRI could not be achieved without computers. The technology lets researchers connect specific areas of the brain to specific cognitive processes, for example, memory or reading. EEG (electroencephalography) is another example of a technology that uses computer processing to record and analyze brain activity.
Furthermore the UK’s National Health Service now recognizes the use of CCBT (computerized cognitive behavioral therapy) as an effective treatment for mild-to-moderate manifestations of depression and anxiety. Artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to transform the practice of psychotherapy by replacing therapists with robots able to examine and treat patients on the internet.