Forensic Psych
Define "forensic" and how that word is applied to psychology. - correct answer-"relating to or
denoting the application of scientific methods and techniques to the investigation of crime"
applying the speicialized knowledge of psych to the law
"Research and application of psychological knowledge to the legal system" OR "application
and practice of psych as it pertains to the legal system"
BASED ON SOLID RESEARCH
What are some of the ways that psychology interacts with the law? Give examples from the
four subdisciplines of psychology discussed in lecture. - correct answer-DevPsych: what's in
the best interest for a child?
SocialPsych: effect of interpersonal influence and racial bias on interrogation and
investigation
ClinicalPsych: challenges of working as a police psychologist/with incarcerated people?
asses the risk of returning someone back to the community?
CogPsych: how humans think affect our understanding of judge/juror decision making? how
reliable are witnesses
How does the American Psychological Association (APA) define forensic psychology? -
correct answer-"Forensic psychology refers to professional practice by any
psychologist working within any sub-discipline of psychology (e.g.,
clinical, developmental, social, cognitive) when applying the
scientific, technical, or specialized knowledge of psychology to the
law to assist in addressing legal, contractual, and administrative
matters."
Be prepared to consider examples of research or practice and identify whether or not the
person is a forensic psychologist. - correct answer-courtroom testimony, child custody
evaluations, research on screening and selection of law enforcement candidates, and clinical
services to offenders and staff in correctional facilities; research and theory building in
criminology, design and implementation of intervention, prevention and treatment for youth
offenders, and counseling of victims of crime
What is the relationship between research and practice in forensic psychology? - correct
answer-EVERYTHING is based on science, practice based on research
Describe the ways a forensic psychologist intersects with the legal system. Give examples of
each, and be prepared to answer questions with examples. - correct answer-courtroom
testimony, child custody evaluations, research on screening and selection of law
enforcement candidates, and clinical services to offenders and staff in correctional facilities;
research and theory building in criminology, design and implementation of intervention,
prevention and treatment for youth offenders, and counseling of victims of crime
,What are some of the ethical issues forensic psychologists face? - correct
answer-prescription authority, conflicts of interest, bias, participation in research,
confidentiality, rension between punishment and rehabilitation
Why was the publication of On the Witness Stand (Munsterberg, 1909) influential? - correct
answer-Münsterberg 1909 On the Witness Stand: Essays on Psychology and Crime
Showed that eyewitnesses use faulty memory when describing events they had witnessed
Describe the memory demonstration from lecture. What conclusions can you draw from the
demonstration about eyewitness testimony? - correct answer-Eye witnesses usually don't
know they're about to see something "important" [shapes and letters appeared on screen,
we didnt know we had to remember them)
What was the importance of Muller v. Oregon, 1908 to the development of forensic
psychology? - correct answer-Muller v Oregon, 1908
Louis Brandeis successfully argued that mandating a maximum length workday was good for
mothers, and therefore good for children, and therefore good for society
First for courts to consider "social science" as evidence in a court case
Behavior, mental well-being, the long term effects of law on a person and society
Describe the differences between clinical applications and research applications of forensic
psychology. - correct answer-Clinical: "clinical psychologists who are engaged in clinical
practice within the legal system" (specific client?)
Research: "conduct research in areas that are highly relevant to the law, such as eyewitness
memory, forensic interviewing of children, or jury decision making."
What is the difference between forensic psychology and correctional psychology? - correct
answer-Subtly but importantly different from forensic psychology
Working with incarcerated persons, parolees, families
Assesments, crisis intervention, addiction services, etc.
Working with juvenile and/or adults
More clinically oriented, but with a focus on those who are impacted by the legal system
What is PTSD? Which critical incidents are most commonly related to development of
PTSD? - correct answer-Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Common after: Killing someone in the line of duty
Death of a fellow officer
Physical assault
What factors predict who will or won't develop PTSD (hint: this is partially a trick question)? -
correct answer-THERE ARE NONE
Describe emotional load and emotional dissonance as possible sources of stress for LEOs -
correct answer-Emotional labor (keeping calm when others are emotional)
Regulation of emotions and emotional expression
Surface acting
, Displaying the emotion called for in a situation
Emotional dissonance
Display of emotion v felt emotion [STRESSOR]
What are some examples of internal and external stressors commonly experienced by police
officers? - correct answer-External:
Ongoing frustration with law process
Police-citizen relationships
Law-enforcement approaches to immigration
Policies and procedures regarding undocumented immigrants
Internal:
Addiction
Depression
Health problems
Sexual harassment
Lack of Accomplishment
What kinds of stressors do the families of police officers experience? - correct answer-Shift
work and overtime
Officer's cynicism, need to feel in control at home, inability/unwillingness to express feelings
Fear that the officer will be hurt or killed
High expectations for officers children
Avoidance, teasing or harassment of children bc of their parents job
Presence of a gun in the home
Discuss police suicide, including reasons, substance use factors, cognitive factors that are
predictive of suicide. - correct answer-Reasons: Physiological reactions to critical incidents,
relationship difficulties, internal investigations, financial difficulties, frustration and
discouragement, easy access to weapons
Difficulties in maritial/intimate relationships, legal problems, internal investigations
Alcohol abuse (25-40%)
Cognitive rigity, depression, frustration, discouragement
How do police psychologists work to mitigate suicide? - correct answer-Improving the
sophisticated screening procedures and rigorous evaluations at the time of hiring
Increased use of stress awareness training, better police training, increased counseling
opportunities
How is a police psychologist like an embedded journalist - correct answer-go in, have to live
like and understand to be effect
What is cultural competency? Why is it important for a police psychologist to have cultural
competency? What is the culture that requires competency? - correct answer-understanding
police culture, why they are hesitant to accept certain things, difficulties
Define "forensic" and how that word is applied to psychology. - correct answer-"relating to or
denoting the application of scientific methods and techniques to the investigation of crime"
applying the speicialized knowledge of psych to the law
"Research and application of psychological knowledge to the legal system" OR "application
and practice of psych as it pertains to the legal system"
BASED ON SOLID RESEARCH
What are some of the ways that psychology interacts with the law? Give examples from the
four subdisciplines of psychology discussed in lecture. - correct answer-DevPsych: what's in
the best interest for a child?
SocialPsych: effect of interpersonal influence and racial bias on interrogation and
investigation
ClinicalPsych: challenges of working as a police psychologist/with incarcerated people?
asses the risk of returning someone back to the community?
CogPsych: how humans think affect our understanding of judge/juror decision making? how
reliable are witnesses
How does the American Psychological Association (APA) define forensic psychology? -
correct answer-"Forensic psychology refers to professional practice by any
psychologist working within any sub-discipline of psychology (e.g.,
clinical, developmental, social, cognitive) when applying the
scientific, technical, or specialized knowledge of psychology to the
law to assist in addressing legal, contractual, and administrative
matters."
Be prepared to consider examples of research or practice and identify whether or not the
person is a forensic psychologist. - correct answer-courtroom testimony, child custody
evaluations, research on screening and selection of law enforcement candidates, and clinical
services to offenders and staff in correctional facilities; research and theory building in
criminology, design and implementation of intervention, prevention and treatment for youth
offenders, and counseling of victims of crime
What is the relationship between research and practice in forensic psychology? - correct
answer-EVERYTHING is based on science, practice based on research
Describe the ways a forensic psychologist intersects with the legal system. Give examples of
each, and be prepared to answer questions with examples. - correct answer-courtroom
testimony, child custody evaluations, research on screening and selection of law
enforcement candidates, and clinical services to offenders and staff in correctional facilities;
research and theory building in criminology, design and implementation of intervention,
prevention and treatment for youth offenders, and counseling of victims of crime
,What are some of the ethical issues forensic psychologists face? - correct
answer-prescription authority, conflicts of interest, bias, participation in research,
confidentiality, rension between punishment and rehabilitation
Why was the publication of On the Witness Stand (Munsterberg, 1909) influential? - correct
answer-Münsterberg 1909 On the Witness Stand: Essays on Psychology and Crime
Showed that eyewitnesses use faulty memory when describing events they had witnessed
Describe the memory demonstration from lecture. What conclusions can you draw from the
demonstration about eyewitness testimony? - correct answer-Eye witnesses usually don't
know they're about to see something "important" [shapes and letters appeared on screen,
we didnt know we had to remember them)
What was the importance of Muller v. Oregon, 1908 to the development of forensic
psychology? - correct answer-Muller v Oregon, 1908
Louis Brandeis successfully argued that mandating a maximum length workday was good for
mothers, and therefore good for children, and therefore good for society
First for courts to consider "social science" as evidence in a court case
Behavior, mental well-being, the long term effects of law on a person and society
Describe the differences between clinical applications and research applications of forensic
psychology. - correct answer-Clinical: "clinical psychologists who are engaged in clinical
practice within the legal system" (specific client?)
Research: "conduct research in areas that are highly relevant to the law, such as eyewitness
memory, forensic interviewing of children, or jury decision making."
What is the difference between forensic psychology and correctional psychology? - correct
answer-Subtly but importantly different from forensic psychology
Working with incarcerated persons, parolees, families
Assesments, crisis intervention, addiction services, etc.
Working with juvenile and/or adults
More clinically oriented, but with a focus on those who are impacted by the legal system
What is PTSD? Which critical incidents are most commonly related to development of
PTSD? - correct answer-Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Common after: Killing someone in the line of duty
Death of a fellow officer
Physical assault
What factors predict who will or won't develop PTSD (hint: this is partially a trick question)? -
correct answer-THERE ARE NONE
Describe emotional load and emotional dissonance as possible sources of stress for LEOs -
correct answer-Emotional labor (keeping calm when others are emotional)
Regulation of emotions and emotional expression
Surface acting
, Displaying the emotion called for in a situation
Emotional dissonance
Display of emotion v felt emotion [STRESSOR]
What are some examples of internal and external stressors commonly experienced by police
officers? - correct answer-External:
Ongoing frustration with law process
Police-citizen relationships
Law-enforcement approaches to immigration
Policies and procedures regarding undocumented immigrants
Internal:
Addiction
Depression
Health problems
Sexual harassment
Lack of Accomplishment
What kinds of stressors do the families of police officers experience? - correct answer-Shift
work and overtime
Officer's cynicism, need to feel in control at home, inability/unwillingness to express feelings
Fear that the officer will be hurt or killed
High expectations for officers children
Avoidance, teasing or harassment of children bc of their parents job
Presence of a gun in the home
Discuss police suicide, including reasons, substance use factors, cognitive factors that are
predictive of suicide. - correct answer-Reasons: Physiological reactions to critical incidents,
relationship difficulties, internal investigations, financial difficulties, frustration and
discouragement, easy access to weapons
Difficulties in maritial/intimate relationships, legal problems, internal investigations
Alcohol abuse (25-40%)
Cognitive rigity, depression, frustration, discouragement
How do police psychologists work to mitigate suicide? - correct answer-Improving the
sophisticated screening procedures and rigorous evaluations at the time of hiring
Increased use of stress awareness training, better police training, increased counseling
opportunities
How is a police psychologist like an embedded journalist - correct answer-go in, have to live
like and understand to be effect
What is cultural competency? Why is it important for a police psychologist to have cultural
competency? What is the culture that requires competency? - correct answer-understanding
police culture, why they are hesitant to accept certain things, difficulties
