Forensic Psych - lecture 1

What is the narrow view of forensic psychology?

• Clinical practice in legal system

• Focused on assessment and treatment

• Application

What is the broad view of forensic psychology?

• Focused on research

• Production and application

What is Psychology IN the law?

• Using psychology to see how the legal system operates

What is psychology AND the law?

• Using psychology in actual cases

• Expert testimonies

What is psychology OF the law?

• Studying actual laws and the effects of psychology?

• Do laws actually reduce crime?

How did M’Naghten (1843) impact forensic psychology?

• Not guilty by insanity

• Creation of McNaugton rule, which outlines standards for ruling insanity in court

How did Cattel (1895) impact forensic psychology?

• Questions about everyday observations

• Link between accuracy and confidence

How did Binet (1900) impact forensic psychology?

• Suggestibility in children

• Impact of leading questions

How did Stern impact forensic psychology?

• Impact of emotional arousal on recall of eyewitness

• Experiment with revolver, students and professor

How did Schrenck-Notzing impact forensic psychology?

• Retroactive memory falsification

• Witness could not distinguish between what they saw and what the media reported

How did Munsterberg impact forensic psychology?

• Jury decision making and jury research

How did Marston impact forensic psychology?

• Positive correlation between blood pressure and lying

• basis of modern polygraph test

What is the key takeaway of the State V. Driver case?

• The use of expert testimonies in court

• Was the first use

What is the key takeaway of the Brown V. Board Of Education case?

• The effects of segregation on children

What is the key takeaway of the Jenkins V. United States case?

• Psychologists allowed to provide testimonies on issues of mental illness

What year was APA recognized?

2001

What are the functions of an expert witness?

• Aid understanding of a topic

• Provide an opinion

What is the difference in knowledge between Psychology and Law?

Psychology - Research

Law - Stare Decisis (doctrine that courts adhere to)

What is the difference in methodology between Psychology and Law?

Psychology - Nomothetic (patterns in people and personality)

Law - Idiographic (each person unique)

What is the difference in Epistemology between Psychology and Law?

Psychology - Experiments

Law - Adversarial (accuser and accused present arguments in front of jury)

What is the difference in criteria between Psychology and Law?

Psychology - Strict

Law - Lenient

What is the difference in nature between Psychology and Law?

Psychology - Descriptive

Law - Prespective

What is the difference in principles between Psychology and Law?

Psychology.- Multiple

Law - Single

What is the difference in latitude between Psychology and Law?

Psychology - limited

Law - Unlimited

What was the impact of Frye V. US

• General Acceptance Test

  • Gained in general acceptance in the particular field in which it belongs

Daubert V. Merrel Dow

Daubert Criteria

1. Provided by qualified expert

2. Relevant

3. Reliable/ Valid

• Peer-reviewd

• Testable

• Recognized rate of error

• Meet professional standards

R. V. Mohan

Mohan Criteria

1. Provided by expert’

2. Relevant

3. Necessary

4. Does not violate rules of exclusion

5. Must be independent and impartial