The purpose of this essay is to allow you to more deeply examine a specific aspect of forensic psychology and to gain additional insight into how psychology may be applied to the legal arena. Specifically, this assignment examines the challenges the legal system faces to use evidence from psychological research to effectively underpin justice processes.
Assignment details
Step 1: Choose your essay question
Choose one essay question from the following:
- Would a possible offender lie during an interview? If so, how can we detect deception scientifically?
- Are eyewitness identifications reliable?
- Would a person confess to a crime they did not commit during an interview?
All three are legal questions seeking scientific verification.
Step 2: Familiarise yourself with the requirements
Take a look at the Assignment criteria for more detail on how your essay will be assessed. Keep it handy as you develop your essay.
Step 3: Identify the main area of psychological research that relates to the question you have chosen
Your essay question would have raised key topic areas and ideas which you can use to orientate your research for this essay.
The aim of your essay is to describe this research and then argue what role psychology can play in helping to answer this legal question. This area could be memory for eyewitness testimony, or communication for the deception question. Accordingly, use a case study to help communicate your response.
Step 4: Identify two factors within this main area of research
For example, you could select factors such as: gender, age, distractions, weapons focus or time since event, and how these factors may impact on memory, and therefore eyewitness testimony. If you choose the deception question, you could look at factors such as eye contact, paralanguage, body language, distance, gender or age.
Step 5: Construct your argument
In this step you will argue what role psychology can play in helping to answer the legal question you have chosen. You should provide a clear examination of the research on the selected factors using journal articles to back up your arguments.
Describe the factors you chose and support your argument with at least one journal article for each factor selected. Scientific studies are vital to the application of the law. You will need to find one article that relates to each factor you have chosen and summarise the research findings, then relate the findings to how they can help us understand the impact of each factor on either eyewitness testimony, detecting deception or false confessions. For example, for false confessions, you should evaluate current research into this area scientifically. Then in your response, consider the approaches used by psychologists to identify false confessions and also individual factors that may have contributed to such a confession.
Step 6: Discuss the legal implications of analysis
Given these questions are all legal in nature, ensure you consider associated implications from the position of the forensic psychologist. If they are to assist the court what major issues might they want to clarify to the jury?
Step 7: Write a conclusion to complete your draft essay
Once you have completed Steps 3–6, the bulk of your essay is complete. The next step is to write a conclusion.
What conclusions do you draw from your examination of these two factors to cohesively argue the role psychology can play in addressing the question?
- Introduction to research area and selection of case study.
- Identification of two key factors within the research area.
- Critical analysis of research area based on each of the two key factor outcomes.
- Discussion of legal implications of analysis.
- Structure, expression and use of APA style.
| Assignment marking guide |
Introduction to research area and selection of case study
(15%)
The topic is clearly stated and groundwork is laid demonstrating a clear understanding of the research area.
The case study is described accurately and with lucidity, and links to main research and importance of the case study in court is highlighted.
Identification of two key factors within the research area
(15%)
Two factors are articulated and linked to the main area of research and the case study with logic and insight.
Critical analysis of research area based on each of the two key factors.
(30%)
The analysis provides a clear and enlightened examination of the research on the selected factors.
Discussion of legal implications of analysis
(30%)
The implications of the analysis are linked back to the case study, research area and factors and the legal implications of the evidence are discussed in detail with enlightened comments.
Structure, expression and use of APA style
(10%)
Material is well organised, demonstrating logical sequencing and structure.
No errors in spelling or expression.
APA style is followed explicitly with no errors.
Reference list is extensive and accurately presented.
Topic
Choose between three essay questions.
Select ONE of three questions
Memory- Reliability of an Eyewitness
Communication – Deception – Reliability of Suspect
False Confessions – Influences on the Reliability of a Confessor.
- Would a possible offender lie during an interview? If so, how can we detect deception scientifically ?
- Are eyewitness identifications reliable?
- Would a person confess to a crime they did not commit during an interview? ALL ARE LEGAL QUESTIONS SEEKING VERIFICATION (ie. Reliability)
ESSAY
Assessment overview
The purpose of this essay is
– to allow you to more deeply examine a particular aspect of forensic psychology, (ie. The workings of your brain)
– to gain additional insight into how psychology may be applied to the legal arena. ie. Memory of eyewitnesses / physical and verbal hints at deception.
Specifically this assignment examines the challenges the legal system faces when using evidence from psychological research to effectively to underpin justice processes.
Forensic Psychology – Remember.
Forensic psychology is the interaction of the practice or study of psychology and the Law.
It applies to criminal proceedings.
It focuses on criminal behaviour.
It is the understanding and production of psychological knowledge that is applicable.
- The Mind = What are the issues in your case? ie. Memory reliability ? Communication?
What is Your Main Area of Focus?
Identify the main area of psychological research that relates to the question you have chosen.
This area will be ie. memory for eyewitness testimony, communication for the deception question, influences ie.
Like confidence or mental health for the false confessions.
Accordingly, use a case study to help communicate your response. ie. A bank robbery, an assault, … look in the newspaper.
- TWO FACTORS
Write an essay that uses findings from psychological research to answer this question.
- Legal Questions = Forensics
- Scientific Approach (verify) = Not emotive views or gut feelings
- So look at the research on influencing factors or estimator variables ………
What Factors?
Select 2 Factors influencing reliability of the above.
Use two factors from the area of psychological research that relates to the question you have selected.
For example, you may select estimator factors such as gender, age, distractions, weapons focus, time since event, etc. and how this may impact on memory, and therefore eyewitness testimony.
If you choose the deception question, you may look at factors such as eye contact, paralanguage, body language, personal distance, etc., and how these factors impact on communication and how this may in turn impact on the detection of deception.
For the False Confession question, you might want to take a closer look at the Reid Technique and think about why we use the PEACE Model. What influences? Also Communication – stress, IQ,, interview methods, police approach…
Consider the approaches used by psychologists to identify false confessions and also individual factors that may have contributed to such a confession.
Two Factors (ie. Estimator Variables)
Describe the two factors you choose and support your argument with at least one journal article for each factor selected.
Choose one article for each factor (ie. academic journals)
You will need to find one refereed academic journal article that relates to each factor you have chosen and summarize the research findings, then relate these to how they can help us understand the impact of that factor on reliability of eyewitnesses, suspects or confessors.
Minimum 2 academic refereed journal articles + your case (newspaper story)
Grand finale.
- What role did psychology play in answering the legal question?
What conclusions do you draw from your examination of these two factors to cohesively argue the role psychology can play in addressing the question?
What do you think of the research outcomes?
Did the research outcomes actually help you answer the legal question in your chosen case?
Given these questions are all legal in nature, ensure you consider associated implications from the position of the forensic psychologist. If they are to assist the court what major issues might they want to clarify to the jury?
