• Question: What field of psychology can you see becoming especially relevant in the next 50 years?

    Asked by anon-270101 on 13 Nov 2020.
    • Photo: Simona Skripkauskaite

      Simona Skripkauskaite answered on 13 Nov 2020: last edited 13 Nov 2020 12:55 pm

      Very good question, I’m interested to see what others think. I think it is very hard to predict as there will probably be some new questions and approaches coming up that we are not aware is possible or needed at the moment.

      Computational modelling has been on the rise in recent years, where people apply complex mathematical models to describe and predict behavioural patterns and neural networks. I would like to see that further benefiting people with disability (e.g. mind controlled artificial limbs). For example, we already have vision controlled video games, which allow motor impaired people to take part. I also, sadly, think these models and information will be further used to sell us thing and influence our behaviour (e.g. voting patterns), too.

    • Photo: Parise Carmichael-Murphy

      Parise Carmichael-Murphy answered on 13 Nov 2020:

      Black feminism is having a really big impact on the field of psychology at the minute, it is gathering popularity and awareness on social media. It challenged the racist, sexist, and ableist norms that are present in a lot of psychological work and research today.

    • Photo: Madeleine Steeds

      Madeleine Steeds answered on 13 Nov 2020:

      I think cyberpsychology will get bigger as technology gets even more embedded in our lives. I also would hope that psychology that embraces diversity in gender, ethnicity etc. will be more common!

    • Photo: Joanna McParland

      Joanna McParland answered on 13 Nov 2020:

      I would like to see health psychology become even more prominent, particularly because of the situation we currently find ourselves in with regard to COVID-19. Health psychology is making an important contribution to this e.g. through advising on public health messages and it would be good to see this become especially relevant as a field of psychology going forward.

    • Photo: Olga Luzon

      Olga Luzon answered on 13 Nov 2020:

      I would hope community psychology with a focus on prevention and public health and wellbeing. I also see neurosciences being very important in coming years…

    • Photo: p

      p answered on 13 Nov 2020:

      I think there’s so much more that we need to be doing for children’s mental health, and I would like this to become more of a focus. I feel like there’s often lots of talk and policies about child mental health but when it comes to working in clinical services it’s just super stretched and stressful for everyone involved because we want to give so much more than there is physically hours in the day for

    • Photo: Maggi Laurie

      Maggi Laurie answered on 13 Nov 2020:

      Fab question! I strongly agree with Madeleine that cyberpsychology and the study of technology will increase and be important for the future. For the last few years there has been a rise in a moral panic around technology – for example, whether and how screen time impacts child development and how people engage with digital data and tools. The pandemic has forced us all to engage more with technology through remote working and learning – so it is especially important to research how technology could be used for the greater good and whether we should be concerned about technology’s influence over our behaviour.

    • Photo: Katie Riddoch

      Katie Riddoch answered on 16 Nov 2020:

      Technology is developing so fast, so I think that will be a huge area in future. Things like how to develop smart homes, social robots, and virtual reality! Mental health and loneliness are massive problems too, and I think there will continue to be lots of work trying to build communities, and help people live healthier happier lives.

    • Photo: Mona-Lisa Kwentoh

      Mona-Lisa Kwentoh answered on 17 Nov 2020: last edited 17 Nov 2020 5:15 pm

      Interesting question ! I envisage neuroscience / Artificial Intelligence / other forms of technology having an impact in mental health care and its delivery in the coming years .

      Personally I would love to see mental health conditions regarded and treated the same way as physical health conditions . It would also be lovely to see more investment into mental health services to cover various aspects – prevention , treatment and public health promotion .

    • Photo: Kai Thomas

      Kai Thomas answered on 20 Nov 2020:

      Such an interesting question! I think the COVID-19 pandemic has really highlighted the key challenges we still face in mental health services, as well as children’s mental health specifically. Funding for mental health research and services are still disproportionately lower than for physical health, so hopefully we will start to see a shift in the funding as unfortunately, more people will require access to already overstretched services.

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