Technology is always changing and evolving and there are benefits to this. There are different branches of science where AI and tech have already become a fixture. The most unlikely partnership among these branches is between AI and psychology.
While AI is becoming a widely welcomed aid in science and tech, there are a few branches of science that have never been comfortable with such partnerships. Psychology has never been one to shy away from scientific improvements like AI, however; it seeks to adapt to this technology for its own advancement. That’s why there are workshops in psychology where AI has also been taught.
With the pandemic and everything that’s happened so far, here’s how psychology and AI seek to work together to create an innovative solution for the future of both.
The Simplest—Computerized Tests
Traditionalism kept psychological tests in a printed form, but that’s not economical nor is it ecological. Usually, psychologists tested their patients using a pen and paper to record the results. With the pandemic, visits to the psychologist have become difficult, not to mention face-to-face interactions.
This has given rise to a solution solved by AI and the advancements in teleconferencing. No longer do patients need to travel to a psychologist’s office for their test; it can be done with both patient and doctor at home. Remote testing can also be done with the patient answering a form made available on Google Forms or a similar platform.
Psychology Benefits from “Big Data”
In this field, the use of “big data” varies greatly, but it lends a great deal of information to the advancement and discovery of different branches of psychology. This data can be easily pulled up from different data stores available online. Both aspiring and veteran psychologists benefit from this in that they can both take from the veterans and add to the knowledge of those beginning in this field.
The new branches of psychology which had been added as a result of big data are neuroeconomy and neuromarketing. These were concepts that have been unheard of but, thanks to the growing information banks available through data, have been created into unique ideas and are now branches of study by themselves.
Online Therapies—You Don’t Have to Miss Appointments Anymore
When the lockdowns were announced, a lot of therapies were canceled because of the sudden nature of the closures. With a greater reliance on online interactions, patients and psychologists can still keep their appointments with each other. This is helpful since the isolation during the pandemic can weigh heavily on a person with a lot on their mind.
This new way of psychology also helps people become unashamed of admitting that they have problems like depression or overthinking. There is still a certain stigma attached to entering the psychologist’s clinic. With online appointments, people can talk to a psychologist discreetly. They can also get help from lots of online programs to help alleviate the effects of the pandemic on the mind.
In the Office—Automated Personnel Selection
In the world of employment, psychology functions to select the best available personnel to fit into your workforce. AI works along with employment in the sense that it sifts through patterns and algorithms to select the best candidate. It then presents those candidates against a set of requirements for the said job opening.
The online aspect of employment is important especially during the pandemic. People can still find work regardless of whether they can show up on the day of their interview or not. They can also go to the interview wearing their best top while wearing virtually just their shorts, which is not seen by the camera, of course.
In the Office—Apps that Feature Psychology
Apps that help in the employment of able employees who are the right fit for businesses are big for businesses who are struggling in the pandemic. If they survived the initial lockdown, chances are they won’t survive for long without employees that are fit for their positions.
There are a lot of things that these apps can do, but more importantly, they can find employees with the right CVs, are competent enough for the open position or work platform they’re applying to, and fit right into the culture. This is important so that companies can avoid excessive training that might be too costly.
Even psychology and AI have been forced to change and adapt to the pandemic. With these advancements, psychology may soon see itself propelled right into the next generation of mental health diagnosis and even employment analysis. It’s good that there are still benefits even when the pandemic is in effect.
