CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Psychology is an area that is interested in understanding the human mind and behavior. Throughout the years, lots of strategies have been designed to examine human behavior, including interviews, surveys, and experiments. Nevertheless, these strategies have their restrictions, and they are typically time-consuming and expensive. With the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI), psychologists currently have access to effective tools that can help them evaluate vast amounts of information and make predictions regarding human behavior.
Artificial intelligence has been used in psychology for a range of purposes. One of research has been in personality evaluation. Artificial intelligence algorithms can be trained on large datasets of personality assessments, such as the Big Five personality attributes, and after that used to predict an individual's personality based on their reactions to a set of questions.
Another of research has been in psychological health diagnosis and therapy. Artificial intelligence algorithms can be trained on datasets of clinical information, such as patient backgrounds and medical records, to predict diagnoses and recommend treatments. This has the potential to transform psychological healthcare, as it might make diagnosis and treatment more effective and efficient.
Artificial intelligence applications appear to have a common infrastructural presence in any given sector. The late 90s and the starting of the 21st century saw the intertwining of artificial intelligence technological components into that of the bigger frame of systems (Shukla and Jaiswal, 2013). Interest in artificial intelligence (AI) has mainly focused on autonomous systems that may change people in the respective areas. Equally as cognitive psychology might find new opportunities of investigation from algorithmic-instruction theory, algorithmic-instruction theory might have more practical implications as it assesses the complexity of human behavior data. This human-centered focus is based on interdisciplinary synergistic study from cognitive neuroscience, psychology, and theoretical computer science (Mozera, 2019). In this golden era of technology, without any end, or limit, in sight; the moral and ethical effects of artificial intelligence have three sides to the debate. One viewpoint has it that lots of people are already stricken by poverty without work and there is little or no need to produce mechanical laborers that can likewise think independently. While the other viewpoint is that, culture cannot progress or derive benefits from resources without the aid of machines that can think on their own at least partially. Furthermore, the third group is the very least troubled regarding these concerns whatsoever, as is common of human society (Shukla and Jaiswal, 2013).
Artificial intelligence is progressing in several areas, likewise in psychology. The application of artificial intelligence methods in psychology research has the prospective to change our understanding of human cognition and behavior. Cognitive modelling, a subfield of artificial intelligence, includes using computational models to simulate and predict human cognitive processes. These designs can offer understandings into the hidden systems of cognitive phenomena, such as understanding, memory, and decision-making. Artificial intelligence can likewise be made use of to analyse huge datasets and address patterns that would certainly be challenging for humans to discover.
Many psychologists believe that the science of artificial intelligence can integrate all the phenomena generated by the human mind. This functionalist mindset witnesses the mind as a representational system and psychology as the offshoot of the different computational processes where psychological representations are built, organized, and deciphered. Although it is under debate as to how different psychological phenomena can be justified in computational terms; regarding which artificial intelligence concepts are applicable for computer modelling approaches following psychologist's viewpoint is yet to be seen (Wang, Xie and Lu, 2016).
The emergence of artificial intelligence technology has changed the way we live and work, and it is now being applied to psychology. Artificial intelligence has the prospective to transform psychological research and clinical practice by giving effective tools for information evaluation, prediction, and decision-making. This study will evaluate the latest developments in artificial intelligence and their application to psychology, and discuss the difficulties and opportunities that arise from their use. Hence, this this study sought to assess the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in Psychology.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The application of artificial intelligence (AI) in psychology research has the potential to substantially improve our understanding of human cognition and behavior, however there are likewise difficulties and restrictions that have to be addressed. One significant issue is the lack of understanding of how artificial intelligence models work, makings it challenging for researchers to analyze the results and ensure the model is not biased. Additionally, there is a need for the advancement of more sophisticated artificial intelligence models that can better capture the complexity and nuances of human cognition and behavior. This study aims to deal with these difficulties by providing an extensive examination of the current state of artificial intelligence in psychology research and its potential applications, limitations, and implications.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The purpose of this study is to assess the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in Psychology. The specific objectives include:
i) To ascertain the implications of using artificial intelligence in psychology research for future research in the field.
ii) To understand the areas for future research on AI in psychology, such as the development of more sophisticated AI models and research on the ethical and societal implications of using AI in psychology research.
iii) To give an overview of the current state of AI in psychology research, including its potential applications and limitations.
iv) To determine the challenges and limitations of using AI in psychology research, such as the interpretability of AI models and ethical considerations.
1.4 Research Questions
The following statements were considered to be the research questions for this study:
i) What are the implications of using artificial intelligence in psychology research for future research in the field?
ii) What are the areas for future research on AI in psychology, such as the development of more sophisticated AI models and research on the ethical and societal implications of using AI in psychology research?
iii) What is the current state of AI in psychology research, including its potential applications and limitations?
iv) What are the challenges and limitations of using AI in psychology research, such as the interpretability of AI models and ethical considerations?
1.5 Significance of the Study
This study will be beneficial to students, government and educationalists on the significance of psychology and its application to our everyday life. It will also help us to understand why the study of psychology is very important. Also, this study will serve as a foundation upon which other research of this nature can be carried out especially in the area of cognitive psychology.
1.6 Scope of the Study
The scope of this study focused on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in psychology research, specifically in the area of cognitive modelling. Cognitive modelling is a subfield of AI that involves using computational models to simulate and predict human cognitive processes. The scope of the study included an overview of the current state of AI in psychology research, including its potential applications and limitations. The study also examined the challenges and limitations of using AI in psychology research, such as interpretability of AI models and ethical considerations.
1.7 Definition of Terms
The below terms were used in the process of carrying out this study:
Artificial intelligence: is a field, which combines computer science and robust datasets, to enable problem-solving. It also encompasses sub-fields of machine learning and deep learning, which are frequently mentioned in conjunction with artificial intelligence.
Cognitive Psychology: is the branch of psychology dedicated to studying how people think. The cognitive perspective in psychology focuses on how the interactions of thinking, emotion, creativity, and problem-solving abilities affect how and why you think the way you do.
Psychology: is the scientific study of mind, behaviour and its mental processes.
