Test Bank for Forensic and Legal Psychology, 4e Mark Costanzo,

Test Bank for Forensic and Legal Psychology, 4e Mark Costanzo, Daniel Krauss (All Chapters Download the link at the end of Chapters)

Chapter 01: Essay

• Compare and contrast the approaches of psychology and law. Which system is more open to change?

ANSWER: Main points: • Psychology and law represent two different cultures.• They differ in goals (truth vs. justice), methods (data vs. rulings), and styles of inquiry (objectivity vs. advocacy).• Psychology as a science is based on relativism (of knowledge and theories, or interpretations of facts).• Law as a system is rooted in the past (rulings, precedents).• Psychology is more egalitarian, law is a more hierarchical system.• Psychology is more open to change since science implies skepticism and new discoveries, while law abides by past decisions (precedents).

• Discuss why it might be difficult for psychologists to maintain their impartiality as scientists while trying to

successfully fulfill their roles as experts testifying in court.ANSWER: Main points: • The U.S. legal system is adversarial.• Often experts are hired by either defense or prosecution with the expectation of helping one side of the trial.• Lawyers tend to “shop around” for an expert who would testify the way the lawyer needs.• Experts may have ideals or convictions they want to advocate for.• Being effective as an expert in court requires presenting a clear-cut, easy-to-understand picture.• At the same time, science is rarely clear-cut or simple, it requires objectivity and skepticism about our own and others’ findings.• Conflicting explanations for the same facts are not uncommon in science but must be presented as clear, one sided, and convincing in court.

• How did trial judges become the gatekeepers for expert testimony? Are there any problems with their

gatekeeping role? How can the system be improved?ANSWER: Main points: • Under the Daubert standard (trilogy of Supreme Court decisions), trial judges are the sole decision makers on whether to allow expert testimony.• Judges are expected to be “amateur scientists” to figure out if the proposed expert testimony has enough merit.• Judges generally do not have any training in social science research methods and thus may not be able to discern between good and not-so-good science.• To improve the system, judges need to undergo mandatory training in research methods and be kept abreast of new scientific knowledge in the field of forensic psychology and other social sciences through continuing education.

• Geert Hofstede found that cultures could be differentiated on the dimension of “uncertainty avoidance.”

Discuss why legal culture ranks high on uncertainty avoidance, while the scientific process does not.ANSWER: Main points: 1 / 3

Test Bank for Forensic and Legal Psychology, 4e Mark Costanzo, Daniel Krauss (All Chapters Download the link at the end of Chapters)

Chapter 01: Essay

• The legal system must render final, unambiguous decisions.• Putting an end to legal disputes requires clear, binding rulings.• The search for truth in the legal system is conducted in pursuit of a final judgment.• No single research study is ever conclusive and no finding is truly definitive.• Judgments made by scientists are not dichotomous, they are probabilistic.• In science, no conclusion is final and current understandings are subject to revision.

• Given the fundamental differences between psychology and law, and the difficulty of changing the legal

system, why should psychologists bother to continue investigating the legal system?ANSWER: Main points: • The legal system is pervasive and powerful and therefore should be informed by the best available scientific knowledge.• The law shapes our lives from birth to death and involvement in the legal system carries significant consequences.• Many issues confronted by the legal system are psychological and can be answered by conducting research.• For example, questions about what is considered fair treatment, why people commit crimes, and so on.

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Chapter 01: Multiple Choice

• The knowledge and skills of developmental psychologists might be most relevant for the legal system in

which case?

• When studying the dynamics of jury deliberation.
• When assessing a mentally ill defendant for potential risk of violence.
• When deciding whether the eyewitness is able to remember the scene of a crime.
• When evaluating which custody arrangement will most benefit the child.

ANSWER: d

• The knowledge and skills of clinical psychologists might be most relevant for the legal system in which case?
• When selecting jurors potentially sympathetic to the defendant.
• When assessing a mentally ill defendant for potential risk of violence.
• When deciding whether the eyewitness is able to remember the scene of a crime.
• When evaluating which custody arrangement will most benefit the child.

ANSWER: b

• The knowledge and skills of cognitive psychologists might be most relevant for the legal system in which

case?

• When selecting jurors potentially sympathetic to the defendant.
• When assessing a mentally ill defendant for potential risk of violence.
• When deciding whether the eyewitness is able to remember the scene of a crime.
• When evaluating which custody arrangement will most benefit the child.

ANSWER: c

• The knowledge and skills of social psychologists might be most relevant for the legal system in which case?
• When studying the dynamics of jury deliberation.
• When assessing a mentally ill defendant for potential risk of violence.
• When deciding whether the eyewitness is able to remember the scene of a crime.
• When evaluating which custody arrangement will most benefit the child.

ANSWER: a

• Berta is a developmental psychologist. Her knowledge and skills might be most relevant for the legal system

in which case?

• When evaluating the state of mind of a teenager who brought guns to school.
• When deciding whether jurors understand jury instructions correctly.
• When assessing a mentally ill defendant's competency to stand trial.
• When studying how the type of interrogation is related to the likelihood of false confession.

ANSWER: a

• Santiago is a clinical psychologist. His knowledge and skills might be most relevant for the legal system in

which case?

• When evaluating the state of mind of a teenager who brought guns to school.
• When deciding whether jurors understand jury instructions correctly.
• When assessing a mentally ill defendant's competency to stand trial.
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