Psychology is no exception. Technology affects or impacts all aspects of life today including psychology. In the same way technology affects how people behave, work, and think, psychologists also use technology to understand and study mental illnesses, and to treat them. Technology aids psychologists in their research by allowing them to collect and analyse data more quickly and precise than they otherwise be in a position to. Technology is an integral component of psychology research and treatment. From using computers to perform fMRI imaging, to developing electronic tools for analyzing and tracking symptoms in patients with depression or anxiety.

Technology also influences the way humans interact with the digital systems in which they interact with daily. Many of the world’s popular technology companies have vast departments staffed with psychologists who are experts in the field of human cognition and perception as well as conducting research to discover how users react to certain designs, and recommend changes accordingly. The majority of the time, when you are using a piece technology, such as your phone or Facebook you benefit from the collaboration between psychology and computer science.

At Notre Dame, Sidney D’Mello is one of many researchers working at the crossroads point of psychology and computers. His research is focused on “affective computing,” which is the study of how computers can detect and interpret emotions. His team, for example has created mathematical models that assist computers in predicting if someone is about to become frustrated or anxious and take appropriate action before the event takes place.

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