How Computers Use Psychologists

Abstract

This article explores some of the ways in which psychologists have influenced computers, particularly the design of human-computer interfaces. Three psychologists who are involved with computer interface design were interviewed. The mutual benefits of interdisciplinary efforts in computing are described.The first two articles in this series (Stoloff et al., 1987, Mruk, 1988 discussed a variety of the ways psychologists use computers. This article examines the ways computers have used psychologists-in particular the involvement of psychology and psychologists in the evolution of human-computer interfaces. It is important to note that the relationships between psychology and computers are neither new nor unidirectional. The current states of both computing and psychology reflect significant interactions between the two.In preparing this article, I began by asking several of my colleagues (locally and from the Society for Computers in Psychology) who would be able to provide an interesting perspective on this issue (