PSK 329 - Artificial Intelligence Applications in Psychology

This course aims to equip psychology students with the competence to address the phenomenon of artificial intelligence, which lies at the heart of human-technological interactions, from an interdisciplinary perspective. The primary objective of the course is to foster students' understanding that artificial intelligence is not merely a technical tool; it is also a transformative force that profoundly impacts individuals' psychological well-being, social relationships, and professional practices. To this end, students are expected to critically evaluate the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence (e.g., innovations in diagnosis and therapy) and the risks it poses (e.g., ethical issues, psychopathological implications), enabling them to adapt to this new technological paradigm with awareness and understanding as future psychologists.
 

The course begins with the definition and historical development of artificial intelligence and explores fundamental concepts such as learning theories, deep learning, big data, and language modeling. The course then examines the impact of everyday AI use on users' psychological well-being and psychopathology. The role and impact of AI in fields such as industrial/organizational psychology, user experience (UX), educational psychology, and neuropsychology are discussed. Ethical issues such as data privacy, security, and algorithmic transparency are also addressed. The final weeks of the course explore current applications and potential future developments, including the impact of AI on research methods in psychology, AI-powered diagnostic and assessment tools, the role of therapists and chatbots in online therapies, and monitoring therapy processes.
 

Prescott, T. (2024). The psychology of artificial intelligence. Routledge.; Boden, M. A. (1989)Artificial intelligence in psychology: interdisciplinary essays. The MIT Press.
 

Sandford, A., Mulligan, B., Gittens, E., Norris, M., and Fernandes, M. (2024). Articifial Intelligence and Psychology: A Briefing Paper of the Canadian Psychological Association. Canadian Psychological Association.