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| Module Availability |
| Final year Psychology and APS students. |
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| Assessment Pattern |
(1) One 2000 word essay [25%]
(2) One 90 minute exam: two essays to be completed from a choice of six questions [75%] |
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| Module Overview |
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| Prerequisites/Co-requisites |
| All Level 2 Psychology or APS modules. |
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| Module Aims |
| This module aims to introduce students to some ways in which research from applied cognitive and social psychology can inform, and has informed, the legal system. The module focuses on the processes of collecting and evaluating testimonial evidence from witnesses, victims and suspects. As such, students will gain knowledge of current applied research on memory, decision-making and social cognition. |
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| Learning Outcomes |
| By the end of the module, students will be familiar with a variety of ways in which psychology has been applied to legal processes and issues. Students will be able to critically discuss and evaluate specific studies and general methodologies and will be aware of the current state of the research in this field. Students will understand the potential real-world applications of psychology-law research as well as its basis in the development of cognitive - and social-psychological theory. |
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| Module Content |
Wrongful convictions and the misinformation effect
Eyewitness memory and memory conformity
Identifying suspects from lineups
Interviewing witnesses/victims
Interviewing suspects and obtaining confessions
Evaluating alibis and evidence
Juror and jury behaviour
Expert evidence and beliefs about memory
Repression and false autobiographical memories |
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| Methods of Teaching/Learning |
Lectures, group/class discussions and classroom exercises.
A list of the recommeded readings will be provided for each lecture. Students are also expected to read beyond these sources.
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| Selected Texts/Journals |
Brewer, N., & Williams, K.D. (2005) Psychology and law: an empirical persepctive. New York: Guilford Press.
Bull, R., Valentine, T., & Williamson, T. (2009). Handbook of psychology of investigative interviewing: Current developments and future directions. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.
Feigenson, H., & Spiesel, C. (2009). Law on dsiplay: The digital transformation of legal persuasion and judgement. New York: NYU Press.
Gudjonsson, G.H. (2003) The Psychology of interrogations and confessions. West Sussex, England. Wiley.
Loftus, E.F. (1996). Eyewitness testimony. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Loftus, E.F., & Ketcham, K. (1991). Witness for the defense: The accused, the eyewitness and the expert who puts memory on trial. New york: St Martin's Press.
Memon, A., Vrij, A. & Bull, R. (2003). Psychology and law: Truthfulness, accuracy and credibility (2nd Edn). Chichester: Wiley.
Schwartz, B.L. (2010) Memory: Foundations and applications. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Journals:
Applied Cognitive Psychology
Law & Human Behavior
Legal and Criminological Psychology
Memory
Psychology, Crime & Law |
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| Last Updated |
| Nov 2010 |
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