PSY 410 FORENSIC PSYCH MIDTERM QUESTIONS
WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS
What is Forensic Psychology? - Answers - -Examines the intersection of psychology
and law
-Utilizing and applying psychological expertise within legal settings such as the criminal
justice system
What is NOT forensic psychology? - Answers - -FBI profilers, Detective, Police,
Lawyers, Documentarians, Journalists, Anthropologists
What is similar to Forensic Psychology? - Answers - Correctional Psych: focused on
treatment of those who incarcerated and post-incarceration
- goals to reduce recidivism
-work within correctional setting and in the community
From 1906 to 1906 to 1930 - Answers - 1906: Sigmund Freud - criminal behavior and
Freudian theory
1908: Hugo Musterberg (student of Wilhelm Wundt) -On Witness Stand
1908: Muller v Oregon -brandeis brief
1920-193-- Legal realism - psychology influences law; Karl Llewellyn's core principles
From 1930 to 1959 - Answers - -Disillusionment about the utility of social sciences
1954: Brown v. Board of Education
-Research was utilized for the ruling by individual psychologists
From 1960s to today - Answers - -1969 -American Psychology - Law society
Established
1970's - Law and Human Behavior Journal Published
Present - Increasing number of forensic psychologists conducting clinical work and
research
-Increase in graduate programs specializing in this field
what are some methods? - Answers - -ruling vs data
-psychology advances through accumulation of scientific date driven by future-oriented
perspective
-law advances through accumulation of court-produced rulings influenced by precedents
(stare decisis)
style of inquiry - Answers - advocacy vs. objectivity
-psychological scientific community strives for objectivity through sustained, collective
efforts
-ethical limits; suborning perjury
,-lawyers act within the context of adversarial system and advocate for their clients
Law vs. Psychology - Answers - law: prescriptive, regulates, emphasizes individual,
past oriented
advocacy-based adversarial
psych: descriptive, explains behavior, emphasizes group, characteristics, future
oriented, ideally objective
what is in forensic psychology training? - Answers - substantive psych, research design/
methodology and stat, conducting research. legal knowledge, integrative law-
psychology knowledge, ethics and professional issues, clinical training
what are advisors? - Answers - trial consultants (jury selection, witness,
preparation/briefs, strategies
what are evaluators? - Answers - evaluate programs and practice (evaluation research)
what are reformers? - Answers - Advocate for change in legal system based on
research
Does tough treatment of troubled teens work? - Answers - "Boot camps" or "shock
incarceration" for troubled teens
- A 2010 study revealed that such programs produced little or no overall improvement in
offender recidivism
- "Scared Straight": programs that bring delinquents into prisons to interact with adult
inmates
- A 2003 meta-analysis showed these treatments backfired: boosting the odds of
offending by 60 to 70 percent
-Many of these type of programs seem to be ineffective and potentially harmful
what does psych literature emphasize? - Answers - why punishment-based strategies
are less effective than reward-based strategies for lasting behavioral change.
what is an expert testimony? - Answers - testimony before the courts legislative bodies
u sone of three roles
what is cross-disciplinary education? - Answers - exposure of psychology students to
law; exposure of law students to psychology; dual training
training fro judges
-description of defendant's mens rea (mental state) in. given context affects
responsibility ascribed to them
amicus curiae briefs (brandeis brief) - Answers - education for judges about relevant
psychological research; advocacy based research
, broad dissemination of research findings - Answers - use of media; continuing
education for legal professions; research data available to public
Legislature and Public Policy - Answers - Use of research to influence thinking of
legislators, lobbying, serving on legislative staffs
criminogenic effect - Answers - an increased likelihood of subsequent criminal behavior
resulting from incarceration used to describe environments that tend to produce criminal
behavior
rational choice theory - Answers -
Merton's Strain Theory - Answers - conformity: accepts approved, goals, pursues them
through approved means
innovation: accepts approved goals; uses disapproved means
ritualism: abandons society's goals; confroms to approved means conforms to approved
means
retreatism: abandons approved goals and approved means
rebellion: challenges approves goals and approved means
Robert Agnew General Strain Theory - Answers - -focused on objective and subjective
experience
-feelings of injustice
-strain relates to pressure of achieving goals
Status Frustration Theory - Answers - Four factors--social class, school performance,
status frustration, and reaction formation--contribute to the development of delinquency.
Biological & Biosocial Theories - Answers -
social learning theory - Answers -
labeling theory - Answers -
police psychologists - Answers - consult with and provide services for law enforcement
agencies
-preemployment psychological assessment and recommendation
-fitness for duty evaluation; evaluation
active consultation during crisis negotiations, post- shooting interviews, post-incident
stress debriefing
-must adhere to the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct and be
respectful of individuals' right
True or False: Detectives are more likely to believe that a false confession is true -
Answers - TRUE
WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS
What is Forensic Psychology? - Answers - -Examines the intersection of psychology
and law
-Utilizing and applying psychological expertise within legal settings such as the criminal
justice system
What is NOT forensic psychology? - Answers - -FBI profilers, Detective, Police,
Lawyers, Documentarians, Journalists, Anthropologists
What is similar to Forensic Psychology? - Answers - Correctional Psych: focused on
treatment of those who incarcerated and post-incarceration
- goals to reduce recidivism
-work within correctional setting and in the community
From 1906 to 1906 to 1930 - Answers - 1906: Sigmund Freud - criminal behavior and
Freudian theory
1908: Hugo Musterberg (student of Wilhelm Wundt) -On Witness Stand
1908: Muller v Oregon -brandeis brief
1920-193-- Legal realism - psychology influences law; Karl Llewellyn's core principles
From 1930 to 1959 - Answers - -Disillusionment about the utility of social sciences
1954: Brown v. Board of Education
-Research was utilized for the ruling by individual psychologists
From 1960s to today - Answers - -1969 -American Psychology - Law society
Established
1970's - Law and Human Behavior Journal Published
Present - Increasing number of forensic psychologists conducting clinical work and
research
-Increase in graduate programs specializing in this field
what are some methods? - Answers - -ruling vs data
-psychology advances through accumulation of scientific date driven by future-oriented
perspective
-law advances through accumulation of court-produced rulings influenced by precedents
(stare decisis)
style of inquiry - Answers - advocacy vs. objectivity
-psychological scientific community strives for objectivity through sustained, collective
efforts
-ethical limits; suborning perjury
,-lawyers act within the context of adversarial system and advocate for their clients
Law vs. Psychology - Answers - law: prescriptive, regulates, emphasizes individual,
past oriented
advocacy-based adversarial
psych: descriptive, explains behavior, emphasizes group, characteristics, future
oriented, ideally objective
what is in forensic psychology training? - Answers - substantive psych, research design/
methodology and stat, conducting research. legal knowledge, integrative law-
psychology knowledge, ethics and professional issues, clinical training
what are advisors? - Answers - trial consultants (jury selection, witness,
preparation/briefs, strategies
what are evaluators? - Answers - evaluate programs and practice (evaluation research)
what are reformers? - Answers - Advocate for change in legal system based on
research
Does tough treatment of troubled teens work? - Answers - "Boot camps" or "shock
incarceration" for troubled teens
- A 2010 study revealed that such programs produced little or no overall improvement in
offender recidivism
- "Scared Straight": programs that bring delinquents into prisons to interact with adult
inmates
- A 2003 meta-analysis showed these treatments backfired: boosting the odds of
offending by 60 to 70 percent
-Many of these type of programs seem to be ineffective and potentially harmful
what does psych literature emphasize? - Answers - why punishment-based strategies
are less effective than reward-based strategies for lasting behavioral change.
what is an expert testimony? - Answers - testimony before the courts legislative bodies
u sone of three roles
what is cross-disciplinary education? - Answers - exposure of psychology students to
law; exposure of law students to psychology; dual training
training fro judges
-description of defendant's mens rea (mental state) in. given context affects
responsibility ascribed to them
amicus curiae briefs (brandeis brief) - Answers - education for judges about relevant
psychological research; advocacy based research
, broad dissemination of research findings - Answers - use of media; continuing
education for legal professions; research data available to public
Legislature and Public Policy - Answers - Use of research to influence thinking of
legislators, lobbying, serving on legislative staffs
criminogenic effect - Answers - an increased likelihood of subsequent criminal behavior
resulting from incarceration used to describe environments that tend to produce criminal
behavior
rational choice theory - Answers -
Merton's Strain Theory - Answers - conformity: accepts approved, goals, pursues them
through approved means
innovation: accepts approved goals; uses disapproved means
ritualism: abandons society's goals; confroms to approved means conforms to approved
means
retreatism: abandons approved goals and approved means
rebellion: challenges approves goals and approved means
Robert Agnew General Strain Theory - Answers - -focused on objective and subjective
experience
-feelings of injustice
-strain relates to pressure of achieving goals
Status Frustration Theory - Answers - Four factors--social class, school performance,
status frustration, and reaction formation--contribute to the development of delinquency.
Biological & Biosocial Theories - Answers -
social learning theory - Answers -
labeling theory - Answers -
police psychologists - Answers - consult with and provide services for law enforcement
agencies
-preemployment psychological assessment and recommendation
-fitness for duty evaluation; evaluation
active consultation during crisis negotiations, post- shooting interviews, post-incident
stress debriefing
-must adhere to the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct and be
respectful of individuals' right
True or False: Detectives are more likely to believe that a false confession is true -
Answers - TRUE
