Chapter 1: Introduction to Forensic Psychology Flashcards
What are the two ways to define forensic psychology?
narrow definitions and broad definitions
What are the three things included in the narrow definition of forensic psychology?
clinical practices in forensic psychology are (1) assessment, (2) consultation, and (3) treatment
What does the narrow definition of forensic psychology exclude?
excludes psychologists who primarily conduct forensic research
What are the three things included in the broad definition of forensic psychology?
researcher or professional that examines (1) human behaviour in relation to the legal system, (2) includes application and research, and (3) includes areas such as social, cognitive, personality, organizational and developmental psychology
three roles of a forensic psychologist
clinical, experimental and legal
Role, focus and training of clinical psychologists
role is research and practice
focus is mental health and the law
training is M.A. or Ph.D. in clinical psychology and internships
Role, focus and training of experimental psychologists
role is in research
focus is human behaviour and the law
training is in Ph.D. in psychology
Role, focus and training of legal scholars
role is in research and analysis
focus is in mental health law and policy
training is in Ph.D. in psychology and training in the law
Relationships between psychology and the law
psychology AND, IN and OF the law
Psychology and the law
Use of psychology to study the operation of the legal system
psychology in the law
Use of psychology within the legal system as it currently operates
psychology of the law
Use of psychology to study the law itself
What did Catell come up with in 1895?
He found that eyewitness testimonies are not always all that accurate.
What did Binet come up with in 1900?
children testimonies are highly susceptible, they can be easily swayed by information
What did Stern come up with in 1910?
used the reality experiment to show that emotional arousal (usually brought about by exciting events) can have a negative impact on the accuracy of a persons’ testimony
What was the reality experiment?
having someone who works for him come and stage a crime with a pistol in front of the class.
What were the early two discoveries made in Europe?
- pre-trial press can cause retroactive memory falsification (what we observed vs. what we heard)
- children can provide inaccurate testimonies due to suggestive techniques
What did Munsterberg do in 1908?
made the argument that psychology is present in the legal system
this set back the coming together of psychology and law
What is the difference between an expert witness and a normal witness?
expert witness can provide an opinion while witnesses must only comment on what they directly observe
three challenges when providing an expert testimony
- Need to know your own field of study plus how the legal system works and your role in it
- Need to be an effective communicator in high-stress situations
- The vast difference between psychology and law
Four criteria for the Mohan Criteria
- Evidence must be relevant to the case at hand
- Evidence must go beyond common knowledge
- Evidence must not violate rules of exclusion
- Evidence must come from a qualified expert
What are the four catergories that psychology and law differ in?
knowledge, epistomology, nature of the law, and methodology
How does psychology and law differ in knowledge?
- psychology is based on group-level data using a variety of research methods
- law bases its arguments on legal precedents
How does psychology and law differ in epistomology?
- psychologists seek to find universal objective truths
- law is largely subjective and based more on persuasion than objective measurement
