Forensic & Legal Psych. Chapter 1

Terms in this set (15)

What is legal psychology
applies psychological research and psychological principals to inform and improve the legal system
Basic Research vs. Applied Research
Legal psychologists are not
1. forensic psychologist
2. criminologists
3. lawyers
Hugo Munsterberg
Popular books (On the Witness Stand) and magazine articles as well as academic texts
-developed applied fields such as psychotherapy, forensic psychology, and industrial psychology
Brandeis Brief
it was the pioneering legal brief that was the first in United States legal history to rely not on pure legal theory, but also on analysis of factual data. It became the model for future Supreme Court presentations in cases affecting the health or welfare of classes or individuals. Named after Louis Brandeis, who collected empirical data from hundred of sources in the 1908 case Muller v Oregon.
legal realism
A school of legal thought that was popular in the 1920s and 1930s and that challenged many existing jurisprudential assumptions, particularly the assumption that subjective elements play no part in judicial reasoning. Legal realists generally advocated a less abstract and more pragmatic approach to the law, an approach that would take into account customary practices and the circumstances in which transactions take place. The school left a lasting imprint on American jurisprudence.
Karl Llewellyn
Era early - mid 20th century
Nationality American
Occupation law professor
School legal realism
Basic idea functional, law is institution; wrote UCC; "jobs of law"
1. because society is always in flux faster than the law, laws must be continually reexamined to make sure they serve society well
2. law is "a means to social ends and not an end in itself"
3. law must be evaluated in terms of its effects
The primary goal of psychological science
provide a full and accurate explanation of human behavior
The primary goal of of the law
to regulate human behavior
Forensic Psychology
the use of psychological knowledge or research methods to advise, evaluate, or reform the legal system
Trial consultants
Serve as advisors to the legal system.
They help with jury selection, witness prep, or trial strategy
formative evaluations
A type of on-going or in process evaluation about the effectiveness of a program so that adjustments can be made
summative evaluations
attempt to sum up how well a program has met its goals
Daubert trilogy
three specific court cases-Daubert v Merrel Dow Pharm. Inc (1993); General Electric Co. v. Joiner(1997); and Kumho Tire Ltd. v Carmichael (1999)-that expanded the role of the judge as gatekeeper. together their precedents delegated authority to the trial judge for evaluating the validity and relevance of proposed expert testimony and determining its admissibility in court
amicus curiae briefs
Legal briefs submitted by a "friend of the court" for the purpose of raising additional points of view and presenting information not contained in the briefs of the formal parties. These briefs attempt to influence a court's decision.
a priori hypothesis
a hypothesis that is established without prior knowledge of the level of the health-related state or event in a specified population; involving deductive reasoning from a general principle to a necessary effect—prior to the facts that come from data analysis.
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