The relationship between Big Data and psychology

For a couple of centuries we have been able to observe how technological development has accelerated in a spectacular way. In fact, we are in a time when every few years there are new advances of great importance in different areas and that can also represent a significant advance in the development of other disciplines. Among these we can find “Big Data” technologies, which greatly facilitate data analysis. And this can be used by disciplines such as psychology Can you make a profitable relationship between Big Data and Psychology? In this article we are going to talk about it.

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Big Data: what is it?

Before going on to see the type of relationship that can exist between Big Data and psychology, it is necessary to make a brief mention regarding what Big Data technologies are or imply.

By Big Data technologies we understand all those technology that allows the recording, treatment and analysis of large amounts of information

in gigantic data repositories (Big Data itself would refer to the high volume of data), from a size such that its capture, management, analysis and processing by conventional means would be complex and expensive.

This allows all these processes to be carried out at high speed, often even in real time, some very useful in multiple disciplines and that allows to know the current state of different processes or elements to be analyzed. The collection of all this data is common nowadays through different applications and networks, asking us for the possibility of managing, registering and use part of the data stored in them and its very use can suppose an element that provides information regarding a subject concrete.

The information that is part of these repositories refers to both structured and unstructured data, in such a way that so that they can include a large amount of information, both quantitative and qualitative, and of different levels of complexity. We could be talking, for example, about the behavior of citizens across Europe on Facebook, or about all the information available on the web about our life, or the complete data on the different tasks, payrolls and positions that all the members of a company. It could also be used in order to analyze each of the gestures of a person throughout an interview.

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Big Data and Psychology: a profitable relationship?

There are multiple branches of science and knowledge that can benefit from the use of this technology. in order to generate greater knowledge and benefit for the population, as well as for a purely commercial use. Among the disciplines for which the use of Big Data can be useful we find psychology.

In this sense, Big Data allows obtaining a large amount of information regarding human behavior and to the mental processes behind it, whether or not we are dealing with aspects related to health. It allows us to analyze behavior patterns and their possible effects by extrapolating data collected by different means. Expressions and trends are very easily visible, as well as the contrasting of specific data with respect to typical patterns.

Comparison with other subjects is also facilitated. Likewise, thanks to the rapid comparison of traits and different types of data, it could be possible to perform new explanatory models of the functioning of different pathologies or social movements, for example. Incorporating Big Data into psychological practice in its different fields of application is an element that allows accelerating the collection of information, making forecasts and the possibility of establishing and developing different policies of prevention.

It is necessary, however, to take into account that Big Data It will only reflect raw data, being our task to determine whether or not said data is substantiated, if they have any implications, which are or are not useful or how they should be interpreted. We should not overestimate its importance or completely trust the data obtained by this means, it being much easier to reflect relationships between variables the larger the sample. And a much more relevant aspect: the ethical implications that the collection of large volumes of information may have must be assessed in great depth. staff, needing to establish limits between the use of useful information and the collection of unnecessary information to achieve the desired objectives.

Various psychological fields in which Big Data can be very useful

The arrival of Big Data technologies, due to the possibilities they offer when analyzing a large amount of data, can be very useful in many different fields of psychology. In order to make it clearer, here are some examples of areas in which you can find a beneficial relationship between Big Data and psychology.

1. Marketing and publicity

One of the areas in which Big Data and psychology can go together and which are most evident is that of marketing and advertising. It is one of the most commercial purposes and at the same time best known of this relationship, being common in social networks and online advertising. In this sense, searches, keywords and behavior in networks by users are analyzed, in principle prior consent (although the use of many networks implies acceptance of the right to register and use those data).

2. Human resources and work environment

Another of the areas in which it is common to observe the relationship between both elements is in the workplace. Especially in relation to human resources and personnel selection, the use of Big Data can allow select and analyze the behavior, way of acting, opinions, tastes and abilities of the candidates, as well as as register and assess what type of profiles best fit the company.

Once inside the company, it can allow assessing the performance and performance of employees, the presence of elements that change, their level of satisfaction with the work and the tasks performed or even the type of interaction between the different teams of work.

3. Clinical psychology

Although it is not as visible as in the case of the previous ones, it is also possible to take advantage of the potential of Big Data technologies at the level of clinical practice. Detect depressive behavior patterns, suicidal tendencies, anomalous or delusional thoughts (for example from internet searches) or even basic personality types are some of the options offered by Big Data. The amount of information processed allows us to introduce and take into account various aspects that may be influencing the possibility of suffering from some type of psychopathology.

Risk and protective factors can also be assessed, factors influencing epidemiology and prognosis, the presence of differential aspects in each case either the effectiveness or the progress made during the administration of treatments are examples.

4. Forensic psychology

Also forensic psychology and criminology can benefit from the use of these technologies. Analyze data regarding a subject or a crime, behavior patterns, criminal profiles, witness accounts or the experience or expressions of both the victim and the perpetrator may allow more ease the analysis of cases, the search for explanations, evidence or possible perpetrators or even the possibility of recidivism of a criminal.

5. Investigation

Probably the sector that can find the use of Big Data most useful, and that in turn will allow advances in all the others, is that of research (both in psychology and outside of she).

Evaluate the presence of certain variables (including pathologies) in the population, the affectation that a certain event or movement has generated, the behaviors and opinions expressed, the opinion aroused by certain topics, the impact of certain products, the way of grouping and relating or the expression culture and its effects on the life of the population are some examples of elements that can be taken into account and analyzed more ease.

Bibliographic references

• Armayones, M.; Gomez-Zuniga, B.; Hernandez, E. and Pousada, M. (2015). Big Data and Psychology: an opportunity for the Internet of People?. Aloma, 33 (2): 21-29.