Designing minds: toward systematic integration of psychological science in design for augmented humanity
Author(s)
Van Zalk, Nejra
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Design for augmented humanity increasingly operates at the level of human cognition, emotion, and behaviour. As technologies extend and reconfigure human capabilities, design decisions play a constitutive role in shaping how individuals perceive, think, and act. Despite this, the integration of psychological science into design practice remains fragmented and unsystematic. While psychological concepts are widely referenced, they are often applied in selective and decontextualised ways, limiting both explanatory depth and practical effectiveness. This paper advances the position that the central challenge is not the absence of psychological science in design, but the lack of its systematic integration. Building on this critique, it introduces a framework of levels of psychological grounding, describing progressive forms of integration from informal awareness and ad hoc application to structured incorporation in design processes, evaluation, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The framework provides a conceptual basis for analysing current practice and guiding more coherent integration.
The paper argues that such integration is essential for designing in the context of augmented humanity, where systems increasingly participate in cognition and behaviour. Systematic psychological integration is therefore positioned as a necessary condition for developing design practices that are not only effective, but also transparent, accountable, and aligned with human well-being.
The paper argues that such integration is essential for designing in the context of augmented humanity, where systems increasingly participate in cognition and behaviour. Systematic psychological integration is therefore positioned as a necessary condition for developing design practices that are not only effective, but also transparent, accountable, and aligned with human well-being.
Date Issued
2026-09-01
Date Acceptance
2026-07-11
Citation
Design for Augmented Humanity, 2026, 1 (3), pp.200-212
ISSN
2977-6481
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Start Page
200
End Page
212
Journal / Book Title
Design for Augmented Humanity
Volume
1
Issue
3
Copyright Statement
© The Author(s) 2026 This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits any use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access page (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).
License URL
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2026-07-31