Test 1 Flashcards
What do the broad and narrow definitions of forensic psychology have in common?
both definitions involve a contribution to the legal system
Identify some forensic fields in addition to forensic psychology
forensic engineering, forensic linguistics, forensic pharmacy, forensic oceanography, forensic medicine, forensic digital investigation, forensic social work, forensic nursing, forensic pathology, forensic anthropology, and forensic archaeology
What are the five major areas in forensic psychology in which forensic psychologists are employed in addition to academic settings?
police and public safety psychology, legal psychology, psychology of crime and
delinquency, victimology and victim services, and correctional psychology
A forensic psychologist conducting child custody evaluations, visitation risk assessments, and child abuse evaluations is practicing the forensic psychology subspecialty of __________.
legal
psychology
Five areas in which forensic psychologists are employed in addition to academic settings. Subareas of forensic psychology in which forensic psychologists are employed (i.e., types of services provided).
private practice, victim services, sex offender treatment programs, research
organizations, and legal advocacy centers
What type of education/training is offered at the undergraduate and graduate levels to provides students real-world exposure to the field?
internships
There has been a global increase in forensic psychology graduate programs within the past few years. What conclusion can you draw about the field of forensic psychology from this statement?
the field is growing
What are some limitations of a master’s degree compared with a doctoral degree in forensic psychology?
with a master’s degree, one cannot independently practice psychology (not technically a psychologist)
What are some distinctions between the PhD the PsyD degrees?
the PsyD is focused on clinical training, while the PhD focuses on scientific research
What is board certification and what is the most rigorous certification in American forensic psychology?
board certification means that an individual meets the most rigorous standards for practice in the field, and it adds stature to the credentials of individuals who are called to testify in court; the American Board of Forensic Psychology
Recognize examples of what forensic psychologists do within the five major areas of forensic psychology.
Police and public safety psychology (PPSP) is the research and application of psychological principles and clinical skills to law enforcement, and public safety (fitness for duty evals.)
Legal psychology: Scientific study of a wide assortment of topics reflecting the close relationship between psychology and the law (perform evaluations)
Psychology of Crime and Delinquency: Science of the behavioral and mental processes of the adult and juvenile offender. It is primarily concerned with how antisocial behavior is acquired, evoked, maintained, and modified (research and consult)
Victimology and Victim Services: Study of persons who have experienced either actual or threatened physical, psychological, social, or financial harm as the result of the commission or attempted commission of crime against them.
Correctional psychology: Assessment, crisis intervention, substance abuse treatment, or reentry planning.
Know the five major research and practice areas in forensic psychology and identify the most rapidly growing branch.
correctional psychology
Areas in which psychologists have traditionally provided service to police Four general and overlapping domains of police practice
assessment, clinical intervention, operational support, and organizational counseling
Define “police culture.”
the rules, attitudes, beliefs, and practices that are thought to be accepted among law enforcement officers as an occupational group
Understand what is meant by job analysis and distinguish it from preemployment screening and fitness-for-duty evaluations (FFDEs).
Job Analysis: a systematic procedure for identifying the skills, abilities, knowledge, and
psychological characteristics that are needed to do public safety work successfully
Fitness-for-duty evaluations: assessments conducted to determine the psychological ability of law enforcement officers to perform their essential job functions, particularly after experiencing a major stressful event
Preemployment screening: the psychological evaluation that is conducted prior to a conditional offer of employment
What are considered critical traits for successful police officers?
good judgment and common sense, appropriate decision-making skills, interpersonal skills, a solid memory, good observation talents, and communication skills, integrity, trustworthiness, emotional stability, and the ability to remain steady under stress
Understand the meaning of validity, know the various types of validity (concurrent, predictive, content/face), know which type is the most desirable yet most difficult to achieve, and know the distinction between validity and reliability.
Validity: accuracy
Concurrent validity: the extent of the agreement between two measures or assessments taken at the same time
Predictive validity: The degree to which an inventory or test predicts a person’s subsequent performance on the dimensions or attributes the inventory (or test) is designed to measure.
Face/content validity: A test or inventory has face (or content) validity if its questions appear relevant to the tasks needed in law enforcement.
Most desirable, yet most difficult to achieve: predictive validity
Reliability: the consistency of a measure
construct validity: does the test measure what it says it measures?
What is the goal of a fitness-for-duty evaluation (FFDE)?
to ascertain to what extent an employee is, or is not, able to meet job expectations
Which test has been found to be the most valid (and therefore, the most widely used) for the selection of law enforcement personnel?
MMPI-2 (good predictive validity)
Which type of occupational stressor is often the most prevalent and frustrating for law enforcement personnel?
organizational stressors (paperwork, weekend shifts, etc.)
Know the definition of a “critical incident.”
emergencies and disasters that are nonroutine and unanticipated, such as an active
shooter or a family hostage-taking situation involving young children
What is the major underling reason for police suicides?
difficulties in marital or intimate partner relationships
What were the key finding of the National Institute of Justice’s 1999 report on police use of force?
- Police use force infrequently.
- Police use of force typically occurs at the lower end of the force spectrum, involving grabbing, pushing, or shoving.
- Use of force typically occurs when police are trying to make an arrest and the suspect is resisting.
What is the purpose of crime scene profiling?
collect evidence of the crime scene
What is linkage analysis?
a method of identifying crimes that are likely to have been committed by the same
offender because of similarities across the crimes
Distinguish among suspect-based profiling (e.g., racial profiling), psychological profiling (e.g., risk assessment), and the psychological autopsy (equivocal death analysis).
Suspect-based profiling: summarizes the psychological features of persons who may commit a crime based on features of past individuals who have committed similar crimes
Psychological profiling: gathering information-usually on a known individual or individuals who pose a threat or who are believed to be dangerous (risk assessment)
Psychological autopsy: a procedure that is done following a death in order to determine the person’s mental state prior to the death
Be familiar with the principle of behavioral consistency over time and across situations, or space (temporal stability and cross-situational consistency, referred to in the text as trans-temporal consistency and trans-situational consistency).
trans-temporal consistency: the idea that human behavior is consistent across time
trans-situational consistency: the idea that human behavior is consistent across places
Be familiar with the distinction between modus operandi and signature.
modus operandi: the actions and procedures an offender uses to commit a crime successfully (helps them evade detection)
signature: an identifiable unique object, message, or symbol left by a criminal at the scene of a crime (not necessary)
Understand the principle of confirmation bias.
principle of confirmation bias: the tendency to notice and remember information that lends support to our views on something, such as a suspect (see what we expect)
Be familiar with the legal aspects of police interrogation.
a confession must be freely and voluntarily given if it is to be used as evidence, police can lie, and Miranda rights don’t have to be read unless you’re placed under arrest (in custody)
Be familiar with the types of lineups and protocols to minimize bias and error.
Simultaneous lineup: suspect is placed in a lineup with other individuals in hope that a victim or other witness will be able to identify the suspect as a perpetrator
Sequential lineup: individuals are shown to the witness one by one
Double-blind lineup: neither the witness nor the officer administering it is aware of the suspect
-the person putting together the lineup or photo spread know which person is the suspect, however, the person administering the lineup should not know
-eyewitness should be informed that the person administering the lineup does not know which person is the suspect
-eyewitnesses should be told that the suspect might not be in the lineup or photo spread
-suspect should not stand out in the lineup or photo spread
-a clear statement should be taken from the eyewitness at the time of identification, prior to any feedback on whether they chose the right suspect
Know the Pros and cons of different polygraph approaches, especially the Control Question Technique (CQT) and the Guilty Knowledge Test (GKT).
CQT (more common) (professionals prefer):
1. Assumption of (CQT) is that guilty are more aroused during relevant over comparison
and that innocent are more aroused for comparison over relevant may be flawed.
2. Errors are made more common for innocent, goes against protecting the innocent
GKT (researchers prefer): impractical, as it requires the polygrapher to know details of the crime that are generally not known by the public
personality
cross-situationally consistent and temporally stable patterns of thinking, feeling, and relating to others
benefit of personality profiling
know what kind of person you’re looking for
risk assessment
whether someone is a risk to themselves or others
ABC of personality
affect, behavior, cognition
