Social psychology is the scientific study of how people think about, influence, and relate to one another. A hundred percent accuracy of an eyewitness testimony is not always possible unless the eyewitness recounts the event right after it has transpired. That is, how the people around us impact our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. ausing jurors to overestimate the accuracy of witness memories as well” (Loftus, O’Toole and Easterly).Another reason that eyewitness testimonies are not so precise is due to the fact that what people “recall and report to others can be inaccurate and incomplete…. In order for discrepancies to be easily detected, lawyers must let psychologists figure out if this is the case. Social psychology aims to study social relationships (Moscovici and Markova, 2006). Click here for Dr. Peter-Hagene's full CV. Moreover, social psychologists can help figure out if the testimony rendered by an eyewitness is accurate. They can help “reform eyewitness identification procedures…. [which can fill] in vague and fuzzy recollections with fictional [or attributed] facts” (Sycamnias). The fact is, psychologists and lawyers do not wholly agree when it comes to determining sound testimonies, which essentially adds to the imperfectness of the system. Table of Contents (click on a category of interest) Lawyers only seek the professional expertise of psychologists if their testimony is part of the evidence that they will present to the court.Psychologists who are asked for their opinion in court usually deal with cases that involve an insanity plea. This will result in the decrease and quite possibly the elimination of wrongful convictions. Problems can arise at. 16, 1997 32 Pages Posted: 10 Jun 2008 Thus, social psychologists can help prevent this and other unfortunate circumstance from perpetually occurring. Social Psychology and Law. Get access to this section to get all the help you need with your essay and educational goals. Social Psychology; Research Methods in Psychology; Psychological Measurement; Psychological Assessments; Evolutionary Psychology; Back to Main Website; Previous Next. It is argued that social psychological processes differ from individual psychological processes. This is because the human mind “creates its own vision of reality” (Loh). Courses such as PSYCH 204-Social Psychology, PSYCH 384-Close Relationships, PSYCH 385-Psychology of Attitudes, and PSYCH 386-Sterotyping and Prejudice provide information about techniques of persuasion, the interpretation of evidence, and the … Application of Social Psychology to Legal Issues, Contribution of Psychology and Social Psychology to the study of Health and Welfare Issues, psyc229 - Contemporary Issues & Social Psychology, How both sociology and social psychology can help us to understand anti-social behaviour, Legal And Ethical Issues In Robotics Sociology, Chapter 1: Introducing Social Psychology - summary, Discuss Ethical Issues in the Use of Non-Human Animals in Research in Psychology (15 Marks), EMS: Chapter 3 Medical, Legal, and Ethical Issues, Legal and Ethical Issues in the Online World, Legal Issues in Health Care: Regulation and Compliance, Ethical legal and professional issues 1-7, Free online plagiarism checker with percentage. Test bank Questions and Answers of Chapter 18: Application Module- Social Psychology and the Law When this happens, the jury can reach error-free decisions all the time. Social psychologists study how group dynamics can influence our choices and interactions and sometimes cause issues such as prejudices, bullying, criminal activity, and substance abuse. Factors such as assage of time…. This is why people continue to obey police and courts, even though there had been instances wherein they acted contrary to what the public expected them to. This can cause an alteration in the way the events took place, minor details in the description or version of the story. In all actuality, it has something to do with it but the reason is far more complex than that.Laws are obeyed because people feel that it is legitimate (Loud). Although law and psychology are two separate fields, they are united by their interest in human behavior. This has been why “courts have not rushed to embrace expert psychological testimony… ” (Loh). Legal psychology involves empirical, psychological research of the law, legal institutions, and people who come into contact with the law. Equally important is that lawyers think that tests and studies done by psychologists relating to eyewitness testimonies and behaviour do not apply in every situation (Loh). The relationship between psychology and law As Wells (2002) suggested the criminal justice system would do well to acknowledge the psychologists involved in investigating eyewitness testimony; as they can do for the justice system what the justice system cannot, namely conduct scientific experiments that isolate cause-effect relationships. She is also interested in perceptions of police, particularly in racially charged incidents. Social PSychology of law and the courtroom 5 Different Philosophies: Advocacy Versus Objectivity Law generally determines what is right by virtue of precedent, or prior authority; psychology determines what is right by virtue of empirical observations. Dr. Peter-Hagene completed her Ph.D. in Social and Personality Psychology at the University of Illinois at Chicago and has been a faculty member in the Psychology Department's Applied Psychology Division at SIU since Fall 2016. However, lawyers feel that psychologists have no real understanding and informed knowledge regarding legal problems. As a student in our program, you may choose research … .. he jury’s final decision will be the same as the one favoured by a majority of juror on the initial vote…. Therefore, suggestive comments by authorities can actually “condone… or bolster. Social psychology is the study of human experience within social contexts. It is different from forensic psychology which is based on the clinical orientation on experimentation. Eyewitnesses encounter “situational manipulation (e. g. xposure time, phrasing of questions) and subjective influences (e. g. stress, cultural expectations) [which] can shape the acquisition of information create a new ‘memory’ from the stored initial information and distort subsequent recollection” (Loh). Traditionally, these challenges have focused on a fairly narrow range of legal processes involving … Social Psychology and the Law 125. A typical legal practitioner, in general is not “convinced that the psychologist has any comprehension of legal problems;…and rebukes him for not drawing freely upon the body of knowledge he has so carefully and laboriously built up” (Loh). Lawyers also believe that tests and studies done by psychologists about eyewitness testimonies and behaviour do not apply in every case.Hence, the usability of psychological tests and studies are not a standard form or basis to identify human behaviour, in this instance eyewitness behaviour. anthropologists often compare features of For instance different societies (e.g., their customs and institutions) to understand a particular outcome (e.g., divorce rates or life expectancy). Also, the fact that laws are created by a group of people establishes its legitimacy because “the majority is saying that it is right,” so the rest perceives that it must be right (Loud). On the other hand, the criminal justice system is the branch of the law that deals with controlling criminal activities in society through imposing penalties on the offenders of the specific laws. Legal psychologists typically take basic social and cognitive principles and apply them to issues in the legal system such as eyewitness memory, jury decision-making, investigations, and interviewing. He has also coedited three books (Jury Psychology: Volume 1. Application of Social Psychology to the Legal System Social Psychology refers to the branch of psychology that deals with analyzing the human behaviors based on the interactions with others in society as well as the social contexts of the conduct. Dr. Liana Peter-Hagene founded the Social Psychology and Law Lab at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. Hence, they might base their decision on what everyone else considers as right. Legal psychology deals with cognitive and social principles and their usage in the legal system. (Social Psychology and the Law).Therefore, the majority’s opinion can cause anxiety or doubt to those select few who vote against the majority. Read about the program's history on campus. Although research on the effects of different retention intervals on the recall of word lists does not appear to address issues in psychology and the law, such research contributes to the general body of knowledge related to memory. Traditionally, these challenges have focused on a fairly narrow range of legal processes involving courtroom evidence and decision-making. This may result in an individual changing his or her initial decision because this person may think that the majority vote is right. In the end, accurate eyewitness testimonies will greatly improve our present legal system and make people trust in the court’s decision with absolute confidence. Social Aspects of the Trial Process; Jury Psychology: Volume 2. Social psychologists can also inform legal professionals and those who are apart of the criminal justice system about scientific facts as to the reasons why people obey the law. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. For the most part, it achieves its purpose of putting an end to a wrongdoing, thereby enforcing justice. Research in psychological science, specifically social psychology, has challenged many of the law's assumptions about human behaviour. Social psychologists study how social interactions and environments play a part in shaping individuals’ mindsets and behaviors. This is why the legal system had not seriously considered and incorporated psychological tests and studies. The field of psychology and law values contributions from professionals in a variety of different settings including university and research organizations, clinical practice, law enforcement agencies, correctional institutions, and other governmental and nonprofit agencies. Abstract and Keywords. Although this is the case, jurors still believe that “their memories are above average [which] suggests that potential juror may begin each trial with unwarranted confidence in memory and the ability to identify faces…. http://www.socialpsychologyandlaw.com/contact/. For this reason, social psychologists should educate jurors about the function and benefit of what they are assigned to do. For example, their research helps us understand how people form attitudes toward others and, when these are harmful — as in the case of prejudice, for example — provides insight into ways to change them. Of course, all individuals within reach of the United States legal system are involved to some degree. With this in mind, the scientific community specifically the field of psychology can assist in reforming the legal system. Juries are not informed and properly advised about factors that contradict this notion. Social Psychology and Law M ARGARET B ULL K OVERA AND E UGENE B ORGIDA One significant value of much social science research is that it makes clearer what we only dimly perceive, if we perceive it ” (Loud) Once the value of the law has been expressed either by the public at large or individuals towards each other, people develop an ‘internalized obligation’ to follow it (Loud). Their expertise can shed light on certain human behaviours that legal professionals are unaware of. Almost everyone is aware and will agree that human memory is not a hundred percent dependable. Academics and research– Legal psychologists basically conduct empirical research on new legal topics, which are yet to be popularised… Her research interests include jury and juror decision making, emotional biases in group and individual decisions, diversity effects on group performance, morality and law, and sexual assault victims' coping and recovery. However, their theories and practices cover a broad spectrum of behaviour and topics. They are interested in both individual and group interactions and attempt to find ways to improve negative interactions. This chapter offers an overview of the early interweaving of law with social psychology and related social sciences on topics such as judicial decision-making, jury decision-making, eyewitness identification, procedural justice, persuasion, negotiation, psychological foundations of evidence, and the psychology of expert testimony and of aspects of the tort litigation system. We know that sometimes it's hard to find inspiration, so we provide you with hundreds of related samples. In practice, social psychology has been of value to the police in developing techniques for . interviewing suspects, to defense attorneys in demonstrating how a person can come to be wrongfully accused of a crime, to lawyers in selecting possible jurors for a trial, and to foren- The legal system is not perfect because there are loopholes and discrepancies that need to be addressed. Also, people see the legitimacy of a law when it is functional.Functional in this sense means that “good will come out of the law that will benefit society. exposure to ‘post event’ information such as conversations with other witnesses or media reports… witness’ eyesight and concentration, the amount of lighting, the length of exposure, the quality of the view, whether a weapon or violence was involved, and the procedures used by police to obtain the identification” are other causes as to why eyewitness testimonies are not so reliable (Loftus, O’Toole and Easterly).Also, juries do not usually consider situational variables as factors even though they should. Situational factors in a jury room actually play a role in jurors ascertaining their final decision on which side they will ultimately favour in the end. Psychological Expertise in Court; and Expert Testimony for the Courts) and is the coeditor of the book series Law and Public Policy: Psychology and the Social Sciences published by APA. The In addition, psychologists can educate legal professionals as to why people obey the law; namely the law’s legitimacy in relation to the people who enforce it and its creation by a group of people.The law’s functionality also shows its benefit to the society and its accordance to people’s moral beliefs has to come into play as well. Listed below are links to social psychology topics such as prejudice and discrimination, gender, culture, social influence, interpersonal relations, group behavior, aggression, and more. They also take into account eyewitness testimonies when basing their final decision. [plus] overhead co-witness information or investigator comments and questions are known to alter witness’ original memories of an event” (MacLin, K. M. , Zimmerman, Meissner, MacLin, O. H. , Tredoux and Malpass).In addition, if investigators or police officers corroborate the testimony of an eyewitness through “casual remarks and subliminal body messages,” chances are the eyewitness will have the mistaken belief that his or her recollection of the event is the whole truth (Sycamnias). Dr. Liana Peter-Hagene founded the Social Psychology and Law Lab at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. The doctoral program in Social Psychology is designed to train researchers to use rigorous scientific methods to uncover the fundamental principles underlying social behavior and to address practical questions about everyday relations among people. [s]ocial and cognitive psychology teaches us to distrust that judgment… both personality and situation influence behaviour. It will also lead to an improvement in the current legal system. Our faculty contribute to four thematic areas. The relevance of legal psychology can be seen in legal proceedings in different manners: 1. To get to the end result, police officers, lawyers, and judges rely on eyewitness testimonies and juries, all of which are susceptible to commit flaws. In short, eyewitness testimonies are fallible because human memory is not reliable all the time due to its selectivity and malleability. Legitimacy means that people believe “that an authority is entitled to be obeyed” (Tyler). Start studying Social Psychology in law. Social psychologists are interested in all aspects of interpersonal relationships and the ways that psychology can improve those interactions. The course will begin with an introduction that compares and contrasts the divergent epistemologies of law versus social psychology and introduces students to research methods common in social psychology. Whereas social psychology concentrates mainly on the individual and how he/she would react and deal with a situation in the society. Social psychology is the scientific study of how people's thoughts, feelings, beliefs, intentions and goals are constructed within a social context by the actual or imagined interactions with others. It is based on empirical and psychological research of law along with legal institutions. While, there may be others who do not take their role as a juror seriously. Social psychology is the scientific study of how the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of individuals are influenced by the actual, imagined, and implied presence of others. Social psychologists can also inform legal professionals and those who are apart of the criminal justice system about scientific facts as to the reasons why people obey the law. Mannerisms will also indicate the reasons and motivations behind an eyewitness’ verbal discourse. Think back to the times when keys were misplaced, doors were left unlocked even though we were certain that we have locked them.These instances show that our memories can sometimes fool us into thinking that something is the absolute truth because we end up believing what we would like to. Psychology seeks to understand and explain human behavior while law seeks to … Many of the law’s assumptions about human behavior have been challenged by findings in psychological science broadly, including social psychology specifically. B744 is taught by Quintanilla. Therefore, psychology in essence can actually “provide scientific information that would not ordinarily be available to the law” (Loh).In general, lawyers have always felt that their rigorous education and training has sufficiently equipped them with the appropriate skills to determine matters for themselves. 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