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Research in physics allowed us to build bridges, computers, put people in space. Research in chemistry led to the discovery of all sorts of new materials which we use everyday. Research in biology led to many the discovery of many drugs that save millions of people every day. [Fill in more examples of game-changing technology based on hard sciences here.]

Did research in psychology lead to any useful technology? If yes, what are your favorite examples?

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    $\begingroup$ This seems like an open ended big-list type question that is not a great fit for our site. $\endgroup$
    – StrongBad
    Commented Sep 30, 2019 at 21:36

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Artificial intelligence has received a strong influence from cognitive science, not only in its name.

Concepts like the P300 might have an application in lie detection. See this.

Cognitive psychology is in the basis of assessments for drivers, pilots. For that you'll need to work through concepts like attention, concentration, and the like.

That said, it's not in the scope of psychology to produce technology. So, you won't find much more than concepts/views/ideas flowing into/inspiring a technology.

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Here are just a few examples from the top of my head:

  • Robots are made to look as artificial as possible because psychologists found out that the closer they look to a real person, the higher the discomfort.

  • The surroundings of large Cat scanners (MRI) to make people more comfortable and allow reduced dosage of Benzodiazepines

  • Upcoming developments in general AI that would be impossible without deep insight into psychological processes

  • Lights and sounds in tunnel systems and airport tunnels (birds chirping in Frankfurt, Germany is one example)
  • Elevator music to prevent people from having claustrophobic attacks
  • Light therapy devices

  • Performance enhancing military devices (currents to shorten training time in drone pilots etc)

  • Positioning of instrumentation in vehicles

  • Street surfaces that make sounds to prevent accidents

  • Use of colors and shapes in all guidance systems (traffic)

  • Lie detectors

  • Some biometric access systems (gait analysis)

  • Countless medical devices for natal care (everything that feels good;))

  • Devices and robots for elderly care

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  • $\begingroup$ Welcome to Psychology.SE. Some great examples here, but I am curious with the gait analysis biometric access systems example. Can you enlighten me on how Psychology helped develop this? $\endgroup$
    – Chris Rogers
    Commented Oct 5, 2019 at 11:55
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    $\begingroup$ It all started with Aristotle who wrote extensively about the gait but after that in modern times countless psychologists took part in tbe research of all sorts of biometrical research such as gait. Its part of human development (childhood to adult) and has been used for all sorts of things (gait was recently used to analyze the tendency for agression). More psychology based inventions: blinking bike lights, signal colors of clothing that enhances security, cyber security training against or for (military) social engineering $\endgroup$
    – Nikolai Manek
    Commented Oct 5, 2019 at 13:34
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    $\begingroup$ I wouldn't say that lie detectors are useful. It's difficult to prove they don't work, but there's enough doubt of their accuracy. $\endgroup$
    – Quora Feans
    Commented Oct 5, 2019 at 13:37
  • $\begingroup$ Usefulness is very subjective. For some a lie detector is good evidence that the person speaking seems convinced they are speaking the truth. It is more accurate than an average persons subjective observation. $\endgroup$
    – Nikolai Manek
    Commented Oct 5, 2019 at 14:44
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Psychology and Neuroscience informs the science of human biology and chemistry in order to create the many drugs used to help with mental health disorders.

Other than that, I cannot think of any physical technology born out of psychology alone. Depending on your definition of technology, there are instruments providing rudimentary diagnostics questionnaires such as the mental health assessment from PsychologyToday at https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/tests/health/mental-health-assessment, and there are other instruments used by therapists such as Patient Health Questionnaires (PHQs). Examples can be found at https://www.phqscreeners.com/select-screener

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