social psychology in law

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. Social psychologists are interested in all aspects of interpersonal relationships and the ways that psychology can improve those interactions. Nadler, Janice and Mueller, Pam, Social Psychology and the Law (November 28, 2016). 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. In practice, social psychology has been of value to the police in developing techniques for . Basic researchers inform the legal system by increasing the available knowledge on topics such as memory, human cognition, and social influence. Their expertise can shed light on certain human behaviours that legal professionals are unaware of. Click here for Dr. Peter-Hagene's full CV. Traditionally, these challenges have focused on a fairly narrow range of legal processes involving courtroom evidence and decision-making. He has also coedited three books (Jury Psychology: Volume 1. 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…. Law & Social Psychology. Abstract and Keywords. B744 is taught by Quintanilla. The legal system has convicted innocent people because of “mistaken eyewitness identification [which] played a major role in two-thirds of the first 138 DNA exonerations in the United States” (McMurtrie). . This will result in the decrease and quite possibly the elimination of wrongful convictions. 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. Factors such as assage of time…. As a student in our program, you may choose research … Also, testimonies overhead by another witness, suggestive comments by investigators and media influence may make eyewitnesses alter, embellish or add inaccurate details or information to their recorded testimonies. Mannerisms will also indicate the reasons and motivations behind an eyewitness’ verbal discourse. While, there may be others who do not take their role as a juror seriously. However, lawyers feel that psychologists have no real understanding and informed knowledge regarding legal problems. This is why the legal system had not seriously considered and incorporated psychological tests and studies. Whereas social psychology concentrates mainly on the individual and how he/she would react and deal with a situation in the society. Table of Contents (click on a category of interest) 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. In addition, juries and judges are not fully trained to detect any nuances in human behaviour and speech.Thus, social psychologists should work more closely with eyewitnesses, lawyers and juries-who are ultimately in-charge of the fate of an accused person-to attain a better result in regards to the processes and result of trial proceedings. 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. [s]ocial and cognitive psychology teaches us to distrust that judgment… both personality and situation influence behaviour. Listed below are links to social psychology topics such as prejudice and discrimination, gender, culture, social influence, interpersonal relations, group behavior, aggression, and more. Applying Social Psychology to the Criminal Justice System 247. Social psychologists study how social interactions and environments play a part in shaping individuals’ mindsets and behaviors. 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. This is because the human mind “creates its own vision of reality” (Loh). Almost everyone is aware and will agree that human memory is not a hundred percent dependable. The social psychology is a way to analyze the behavior of human beings, and to identify the key aspects of this mode of analysis are necessary to examine, with a presentista orientation, complex and problematic historical process that leads to it. [which can fill] in vague and fuzzy recollections with fictional [or attributed] facts” (Sycamnias). With this in mind, the scientific community specifically the field of psychology can assist in reforming the legal system. 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. Also, they can inform jurors on what to look for in eyewitnesses- body language, meanings behind what they are saying- in order to help them arrive at a better decision. 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). Furthermore, suggestive statements made by an officer may make an eyewitness say information in relation to it because the eyewitness may want to comply “with what they believe the interviewer wants to hear” (Sycamnias).This idea of suggestibility is especially influential to very young eyewitnesses because they do not know “how to identify a leading question; the effect of leading questions; the effect of interviewer bias…, ” (McMurtrie). In short, eyewitness testimonies are fallible because human memory is not reliable all the time due to its selectivity and malleability. 16, 1997 32 Pages Posted: 10 Jun 2008 [by helping determine] which eyewitness phenomena are reliable enough for presentation to a jury and which are not… ” since they know more about human behaviour and external and internal factors that affect memory and cognition (Tubb, Hosch, and Memon).Similarly, it should come naturally for legal professionals to seek “those concerned with studying human behaviour,” when dealing with eyewitnesses because these experts can provide them with new knowledge, insights and scientific opinion that they may not be aware of (Davis). 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). 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. Juries are not informed and properly advised about factors that contradict this notion. Academics and research– Legal psychologists basically conduct empirical research on new legal topics, which are yet to be popularised… 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…. Hence, there should be a social psychology dedicated to legal issues in regards to the gathering of evidence and courtroom dynamics.Also, incorporation of social psychology in the legal field can include detailed and systematic analysis and findings of specific gestures that will enable juries to tell if an eyewitness is saying the truth in court. ” (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). 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. Legitimacy means that people believe “that an authority is entitled to be obeyed” (Tyler). The importance of social psychologists cannot be downplayed or ignored. It also illustrates that human memory is “comple[x], selectivit[ive] and malleab[le]” (Loftus, O’Toole and Easterly). Dr. Liana Peter-Hagene founded the Social Psychology and Law Lab at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. In order for discrepancies to be easily detected, lawyers must let psychologists figure out if this is the case. We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. PSYCH 218-Developmental Psychology and other courses focusing on children are particularly relevant for those with an interest in juvenile and family law. For example, people think that murder is wrong because people value human life and the act itself violates how a person should treat another (Tyler).Therefore, “disobedience is permissible only when there is no independent moral reason to obey or when the weight of independent reasons favours disobedience” (Patterson). Through this study, we can analyze a number of social problems that are faced by people on a personal level. By continuing we’ll assume you’re on board with our cookie policy. In addition, juries may think that a person’s behaviour, be it the criminal or the eyewitness, will clearly inform them of what they need to know to arrive at a conclusion regarding a case. However, their theories and practices cover a broad spectrum of behaviour and topics. 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. Social psychology, the scientific study of the behaviour of individuals in their social and cultural setting. Social Psychology and Law. Social psychology is the study of human experience within social contexts. 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). 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. The That is, how the people around us impact our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It is argued that social psychological processes differ from individual psychological processes. [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). http://www.socialpsychologyandlaw.com/contact/. .. Social Psychology and the Law 125. 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 … They can help “reform eyewitness identification procedures…. The legal system is not perfect because there are loopholes and discrepancies that need to be addressed. Inferences can also affect the perceived notion of an eyewitness. 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. The following article seeks to analyze how the social psychology plays … For this reason, social psychologists should educate jurors about the function and benefit of what they are assigned to do. 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