Big Data in the Psychological Sciences

Cutting-edge computational tools like artificial intelligence, data scraping, and online experiments are leading to new discoveries about the human mind. However, these new methods can be intimidating. This textbook demonstrates how Big Data is transforming the field of psychology, in an approachable and engaging way that is geared toward undergraduate students without any computational training. Each chapter covers a hot topic, such as social networks, smart devices, mobile apps, and computational linguistics. Students are introduced to the types of Big Data one can collect, the methods for analyzing such data, and the psychological theories we can address. Each chapter also includes discussion of real-world applications and ethical issues. Supplementary resources include an instructor manual with assignment questions and sample answers, figures and tables, and varied resources for students such as interactive class exercises, experiment demos, articles, and tools.

Wilma A. Bainbridge is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Chicago. She has won the Association for Psychological Sciences Rising Stars Award (2023), an Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship in Neuroscience (2024), and the American Psychological Association's (APA) Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contributions to Psychology (2025). Her research has garnered attention from outlets such as CNN, Vox, and Wired. She has previously edited two books on vision and memory, and her 'Big Data in Psychology' class has earned a Curricular Innovation Award from the University of Chicago.