Forensic Psychology Chapters questions with
verified answers
3 main reasons for the presence of witness errors: Ans✓✓✓ 1) witness
may be influenced by social factors
2) through the recall process and investigation, the witness may hear
alternative stories and internalize that account as their own memory
3) being asked misleading questions or being exposed to
misinformation could contaminate a witnesses memory
4 Criteria for Admitting Expert Evidence Ans✓✓✓ -relevance
-necessity
-absence of any exclusionary rule
-qualification of the expert
-->expert evidence must go beyond common sense
-->R.v Mohan detailed principles for assessing the admissibility of
expert opinion (Sopinka)
-->provide information that is likely outside the experience and
knowledge of a judge or jury
->R.v Lavallee: expert witness falls within the realm of expert evidence
4 Rules to Reduce Errors Ans✓✓✓ 1) Double blind lineup testing
should be utalized. The officer knowing the identify of the suspect may
communicate this knowledge without even inentiding to do so (facial
expresiion etc)
,2) Instructions should be given to the witness that the lineup may not
contain the culprit. Witnesses don't feel as though they need to make
an identification
3) Foils should be selected based on the witness' provided veral
description (should not stand out in the photoarray or lineup)
4) Confidence should be taken into consideration during the
identification (and should be recorded) Repeated questioning may
increase confidence, reduce accuracy or increase suggestibility
--->Kassain suggested another rule: the identification process
(especially the lineup) be videotaped for lawyers judges and the jury
Accuracy Rate of Detecting Lies Ans✓✓✓ Chance, 54% discriminating
liars from truth tellers
Advocate Role Ans✓✓✓ To take sides in a legal matter, potentially to
become sympathetic to the arguments of the side that is paying the
psychologist and to slant the testimony in that direction
Aggravating Factors Ans✓✓✓ Leading to a higher sentence,
circumstances surrounding a crime that heightens its seriousness for
purposes of sentencing.
-breach of trust or domestic violence
Amicus Curiae Briefs Ans✓✓✓ Arguments by a third party who acts as
a "friend of the court" and informs judges on matters relevant to the
dispute in a written testimonial
,-rare in Canada. but courts do accept analogous submissions from
psychologist about the need for certain information to be disclosed
before trial
-intention is to alter the legal system through scientific advocacy
concerning psychological evidence
-Brown vs. Board of Education (segregation)
Assessment Ans✓✓✓ Gathering information to assist in decision
making
-psychological assessment can be conducted in two forms
-->formal assessment: well validated measures and questionnaires
-->informal assessment: unstructured interview and clinical intuition
Assumption of Risk Ans✓✓✓
Authoritarianism Ans✓✓✓
Baiting Questions Ans✓✓✓ Not necessarily accusatory in nature but
still convey to suspects that some (false) evidence exists that links them
to the crime
-sometimes carry the implication that the answer is already known
Belief in a Just World Ans✓✓✓ *Just World Phenomenon:* Belief that
the world is just and that people get what they deserve
, Blink Rate Ans✓✓✓ -masked emotional expressions were associated
with increases in blink rate
-emotional neutralization (poker face) was accompanied with
decreased in blink rate relative to genuine expressions
Canada Ans✓✓✓ -appeal to suspects pride with flattery (57%)
-play one offender against the other (43%)
-minimize moral seriousness of the offence (36%)
-sympathize with suspect by condemning others (25%)
Center for the Advancement of Psychological Science and Law (CAPSL)
Ans✓✓✓ Committed to devising specialized training at both
undergraduate and graduate levels in forensic psychology
-2009, created to conduct research and provide training focused on
issues at the intersection of psychology and the legal system
-aims are to inform legal/investigative reforms, advance clinical practice
and improve training for forensics professionals
Challenged for Cause Ans✓✓✓
Charge Approval Ans✓✓✓ -crown attorney uses 2 criteria to decide:
->likelihood of conviction (has to be a good chance)
->interest of society
verified answers
3 main reasons for the presence of witness errors: Ans✓✓✓ 1) witness
may be influenced by social factors
2) through the recall process and investigation, the witness may hear
alternative stories and internalize that account as their own memory
3) being asked misleading questions or being exposed to
misinformation could contaminate a witnesses memory
4 Criteria for Admitting Expert Evidence Ans✓✓✓ -relevance
-necessity
-absence of any exclusionary rule
-qualification of the expert
-->expert evidence must go beyond common sense
-->R.v Mohan detailed principles for assessing the admissibility of
expert opinion (Sopinka)
-->provide information that is likely outside the experience and
knowledge of a judge or jury
->R.v Lavallee: expert witness falls within the realm of expert evidence
4 Rules to Reduce Errors Ans✓✓✓ 1) Double blind lineup testing
should be utalized. The officer knowing the identify of the suspect may
communicate this knowledge without even inentiding to do so (facial
expresiion etc)
,2) Instructions should be given to the witness that the lineup may not
contain the culprit. Witnesses don't feel as though they need to make
an identification
3) Foils should be selected based on the witness' provided veral
description (should not stand out in the photoarray or lineup)
4) Confidence should be taken into consideration during the
identification (and should be recorded) Repeated questioning may
increase confidence, reduce accuracy or increase suggestibility
--->Kassain suggested another rule: the identification process
(especially the lineup) be videotaped for lawyers judges and the jury
Accuracy Rate of Detecting Lies Ans✓✓✓ Chance, 54% discriminating
liars from truth tellers
Advocate Role Ans✓✓✓ To take sides in a legal matter, potentially to
become sympathetic to the arguments of the side that is paying the
psychologist and to slant the testimony in that direction
Aggravating Factors Ans✓✓✓ Leading to a higher sentence,
circumstances surrounding a crime that heightens its seriousness for
purposes of sentencing.
-breach of trust or domestic violence
Amicus Curiae Briefs Ans✓✓✓ Arguments by a third party who acts as
a "friend of the court" and informs judges on matters relevant to the
dispute in a written testimonial
,-rare in Canada. but courts do accept analogous submissions from
psychologist about the need for certain information to be disclosed
before trial
-intention is to alter the legal system through scientific advocacy
concerning psychological evidence
-Brown vs. Board of Education (segregation)
Assessment Ans✓✓✓ Gathering information to assist in decision
making
-psychological assessment can be conducted in two forms
-->formal assessment: well validated measures and questionnaires
-->informal assessment: unstructured interview and clinical intuition
Assumption of Risk Ans✓✓✓
Authoritarianism Ans✓✓✓
Baiting Questions Ans✓✓✓ Not necessarily accusatory in nature but
still convey to suspects that some (false) evidence exists that links them
to the crime
-sometimes carry the implication that the answer is already known
Belief in a Just World Ans✓✓✓ *Just World Phenomenon:* Belief that
the world is just and that people get what they deserve
, Blink Rate Ans✓✓✓ -masked emotional expressions were associated
with increases in blink rate
-emotional neutralization (poker face) was accompanied with
decreased in blink rate relative to genuine expressions
Canada Ans✓✓✓ -appeal to suspects pride with flattery (57%)
-play one offender against the other (43%)
-minimize moral seriousness of the offence (36%)
-sympathize with suspect by condemning others (25%)
Center for the Advancement of Psychological Science and Law (CAPSL)
Ans✓✓✓ Committed to devising specialized training at both
undergraduate and graduate levels in forensic psychology
-2009, created to conduct research and provide training focused on
issues at the intersection of psychology and the legal system
-aims are to inform legal/investigative reforms, advance clinical practice
and improve training for forensics professionals
Challenged for Cause Ans✓✓✓
Charge Approval Ans✓✓✓ -crown attorney uses 2 criteria to decide:
->likelihood of conviction (has to be a good chance)
->interest of society
