ERM 20

Question 1

Need for a new method of investigation in terms of witness information

Answer 1

A method that establishes - trustworthiness of statement and one that compels the accused person himself to establish his own guilt or innocence by objective signs.

Question 2

Experiment one -

Answer 2

Stimulus word is called out and the respondent responds as quickly as possible with some other word that occurs to him (reaction). His choice shouldnt be restricted by anything.

Question 3

Points to be observed in this experiment

Answer 3

1) The time required for the reaction

2) The relation between stimulus word and reaction

Question 4

Shortcomings of this experiment

Answer 4

Since these were carried out without framing any definite questions and without any guiding idea which could be brought to bear on the results

Question 5

Important assumption

Answer 5

The reaction to the stimulus word is not a chance one but it is determined by and ideational content present in the mind of the reacting subject.

Question 6

Ideational meaning ( aka complex )

Answer 6

Reasons for reaction; forming ideas; conceptualizing ideas and thought process behind it

Question 7

Complex meaning

Answer 7

anything that is able to influence the reaction to the stimulus word is known as a complex.

Question 8

How does this influence work?

Answer 8

it works either by the stimulus word touching the complex directly or by the complex succeeding in making a connection with the word through intermediate links.

Question 9

Nature of actions

Answer 9

some actions that are unmotivated are on the contrary often strictly determined. this restricts the arbitrary factor in psychology.
Ex - slip of tongue, mislaying of objects, failure of memory

Question 10

The reason behind such action

Answer 10

these actions have an ideational content or complex behind it.

Question 11

Certain habits

Answer 11

Certain habits are referred to as symptomatic actions, which are linked with a hidden meaning. Thus ideas that occur during an association experiment might not be arbitrary but determined by an ideational content that is operating within the individual.

Question 12

Points to consider when deciding whether someone possesses a complex or not

Answer 12

1) the content of the reaction maybe unusual or which requires explanation. 2) the reaction time may be prolonged. 3) There may be a mistake in reproducing or recreating the reaction when stimulus words are repeated for the second time. 4) perservation or after effect may occur. When a critical stimulus word is heard by the individual it affects other noncritical words and their reaction too.
when all these are present it means there is a complex affecting.

Question 13

Similarities and differences between psychoanalysis for criminals and for hysterics

Answer 13

in both, we are concerned with a secret.(however in case of criminal it is a secret that he knows and hides it from you, however in hysterics, he doesn’t know the secret and he hides it from himself too - this happens because of repression of ideas and memories.) These repressed memories or complexed affect the patient in the same was a guilty conscience of a criminal does. another difference is that in criminals - the complex time is allowed to develop and new stimulus words are introduced, however, in hysterics, they avoid such interferences and keep the patient occupied with the complex.

Question 14

The process of psychoanalysis (doctor field)

Answer 14

1) asking the patient to give whatever thoughts they’re getting. 2) the patient holds back certain thoughts and doesn’t share them. This shows resistance and potentially complex. ( resistance has the highest imp. for them in understanding the origin of an illness as well as the mechanism of its cure.)

Question 15

Indications of a complex

Answer 15

Reaction time ( any hesitation or resistance )
Change in the content of the reaction ( any deviation is considered to show some sort of hidden meaning )
Changes in the reproduction of reaction ( patients asked to reproduce what they saw in their dreams. and any changes in the narration of dream is noted down as it's connected with the complex )

Question 16

Main differences between legal psychoanalysis and medical psychoanalysis

Answer 16

1) in medical or neurotic, the secret is hidden from his own consciousness, in criminal it is only hidden from you. In the neurotic there is genuine ignorance, in criminal, there is a pretence of ignorance. In med. psychoanalysis the patient assists with the efforts to combat his resistance, as he expects to gain something from working against his ego. The criminal doesn’t work with you as it would make him work against his ego.

Psychoanalysis is concerned with a simpler, special form of the task of uncovering what is hidden in the mind (medical) in criminal the task is more comprehensive.

Question 17

Aim of psychoanalysis

Answer 17

Complexes have to be uncovered which have been repressed because of feelings of unpleasure and which produce signs of resistance if an attempt is made to bring them into consciousness. there is a resistance between unconscious and conscious, in medical they’re concerned with both frontiers, however, in legal, they’re only considerate of resistance from consciousness.

Question 18

Limitations of legal psychoanalysis

Answer 18

someone who is innocent may act guilty. IN criminal proceedings , you have to make the criminal aware of any procedure, so existing knowledge will mean that he doesn’t give the same reaction as he would have been reacting had he no knowledge of it.