4 PSYCHOLOGY AND COMPUTERS
Computers and psychology in the 20th and 21st centuries
Computers and psychology are related in many different ways. For example, they are related when it comes to the development of cognitive models of thought processes, the use of computers in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders, and the evolution of virtual reality.
One area in which psychology and computing are linked is through the development of cognitive models of mental processes. As far back as 1935, the Gestalt psychologist, Koffka, established the principle that the brain will solve perceptual problems by reorganizing original data and restructuring it to produce a new understanding or ‘insight’ (Gross, 2007). Since then, Gestalt principles have laid the foundations for information processing models for thought processes, now used in problem-solving computer programs. Since the cognitive revolution in the 1950s – when researchers in the field of linguistics and psychology began to adopt the analytical approaches suggested by recent developments in computer science – psychology has been linked directly to computing through the ‘computer analogy’ which draws a parallel between logical reasoning in humans and digital programming in computers. More recently, research into how the human memory works has produced network models, such as ‘parallel distributed processing’ (PDP), which are also applicable to computer programming design.
Figure 1
Increasingly, with computer imaging programs and computer-generated virtual environments, computers are used both to diagnose and treat mental disorders. Early studies of the brain tended to be invasive, but, fortunately, developments in computer programming have increased the use of non-invasive methods. Computerized tomography (CT), or computerized axial tomography (CAT), is used to diagnose brain damage and disease. It works by taking a series of X-rays of the brain from different angles. The computer then converts these images into a ‘picture’ of the brain. Since the 1990s, a more accurate way of diagnosing brain injury has been available. Positron emission tomography (PET) uses radiation instead of X-rays to supply information about the brain. A more sophisticated version of PET is SPECT (single-photon/positron emission computerized tomography), which allows the clinical psychologist to focus on abnormalities in very small areas of the brain. An interesting development in the use of computers for the treatment of mental disorders is in cognitive behavioural therapy. During treatment for anxiety,
patients are exposed to virtual reality scenarios, which represent anxiety-producing situations that gradually help patients overcome their fears.
Less scientific applications of virtual reality, such as online games and computer- generated artificial worlds, have expanded the boundaries of social interaction and concepts of personality. At the same time, computer-mediated communication (CMC) in the form of instant messaging has added a new dimension to traditional counselling methods. The creation of virtual environments has encouraged computer users to experiment with alternative aspects of their personalities and interact with other virtual characters in often atypical ways. That is to say, people who would be shy and uncommunicative in their everyday life feel that they can try out new personalities and ways of relating to others online. On the positive side, online games can develop problem- solving skills, hand-eye coordination, creativity and novel ways of relating to others. On the other hand, it must be said that there is a danger that excessive online gaming can lead to addiction, losing touch with reality and violent behaviour. More widely used forms of online communication, such as chat rooms, discussion forums and social networking communities, however, are being effectively used for counselling and therapy, particularly in cases where face-to-face sessions are impractical for reasons of time or location.
Figure 2
Psychology and computers have been highly important to each other since the late 1950s. These days, computers are often used in the diagnosis of brain damage and mental illness, while online communities offer alternative ways of communicating and relating. In the future, the two sciences are likely to be increasingly interconnected, as technological advances enhance our understanding of the brain and generate new treatments for mental disorders.
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