A Career in Machine Psychology

Cognitive psychology has given rise to research in a number of different areas, including the exploration of language development, learning and grammar, and the way in which we think.

Cognitive Psychology - New Approaches

Cognitive psychology is a departure from the traditional ideas about psychology. It was developed in the 1950s and 1960s and poses the idea that the human mind works in a similar way to a computer. In that the mind requires input, processes data, and produces thoughts and actions based on these processes.

A Psychology Degree Leads to New Psychology Careers

New psychology careers that have arisen out of the research in this area are in a number of areas. Most surprisingly there are several areas of computing that employ psychologists, including companies developing areas of artificial intelligence, and software designers working on more effective human-computer interfaces. The development of artificial intelligence has moved away from whole personality development (very much the goal in the 1960s and 1970s.) Today it's more focused on the human computer integration process, and cognitive psychology has shaped much of the development in this area.

Logic and linguistics form the basis of this development, and you will see some of the results in the auto-correct facilities of Microsoft Word and in the help systems of several different software applications. People with psychology degrees decide on best practices for what works for most users.

Psychology is a subject that touches every part of life, and new developments require new approaches in inter-disciplinary research. Your career in psychology can give you opportunities to make a difference to everyone's life.

Sources

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_psychology
• http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/622807/description#description

About the Author
Mary Hobson is a consultant for technology start-ups in Russia. She has also worked as an executive officer in a defense facility and as a university lecturer in computer science and management information. Mary earned her first degree in textile marketing and subsequently studied education and computer science at a Master���s degree level.