It has become apparent to most Americans that computers  are

          on the move,  and  they  are  moving  fast.   Computers no longer

          remain  behind  the   closed   doors  of  higher  mathmatics  and

          electronic wizardry.  Society  has  become filled with many types

          of computers in many facets of life.  As computers arrive in many

          disparate and  unexpected areas and prove their usefullness, even

          more areas are studied in conjunction with computers.


               Computers  were  originally  labelled   as   large   "number

          crunchers".  Since then, they have subsequently proven to  be  of

          great  use  in  many  areas  for  large  calculations  and   data

          processing.   Yet,  computers  have progressed  far  beyond  just

          numbers.  To  examine this further, the applications of computers

          in psychology will serve as solid, interesting examples  of  this

          technology reaching  into society.  While there are great amounts

          of numerical calculations  in  some areas of psychology, computer

          aid extends  beyond that into areas of theoretical, experimental,

          and clinical psychology.


               In psychology, the main goal is to understand, predict,  and

          eventually control the world.  In an attempt  to  understand  the

          world, theories  are devised about behavior.  These theories must

          then be tested in  the  real  world to see if they predict actual

          behavior.  Thus, many observations are made, and  much  data  are

          collected.  From these reams of data, calculations of statistical

          norms,  deviations,  correlations,  and  probability  are   made.

          Although  the calculations may become significantly more  complex



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          than indicated above, this complexity  poses  no  problem  for  a

          computer.  Observational  data  plus  testing  answers  et cetera

          provide a great need for computerized storage and manipulation of

          data.  There  are  a  number of programs which lend themselves to

          these specific types of problems.  Each specified program will be

          useful  for  one  or  two  types  of data calculation.  And  thus

          defines the first and most obvious application  of  computers  in

          the field of psychology.


               Another of the major  functions  of  computers in psychology

          occurs  in   the  experimental  area.   This  is  a  particularly

          important aspect of  how  computers help psychologists.  For one,

          true randomization can be important in experimenting.  A computer

          has no racial or sexual preferences  nor does it have any type of

          motivational biases or any way to subtlely influence the  subject

          on how  he  is  supposed to perform.  More importantly though, it

          should be  cl