| Abstract: | An analysis is made of the impact of computer science on research method and theory construction in psychology. The influence is roughly divided into what is described as the Level of Application and the Level of Conceptual Enrichment. At the first level the new discipline is used as a tool to extend the facilities available to the psychologist. In spite of this, it is argued, the simple increase in technical power has led to important differences in the kind of research that can be considered and has been the determining factor in the direction and the extent of the development of various research areas in psychology. At the second level computer science has contributed a wealth of conceptual resources. It has been the source of many theoretical constructs and, even more significantly, has contributed an alternative language for the expression of psychological theory--the language of a computer algorithm which simulates the relevant behaviour. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
