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ModuleAThismultimediaproductanditscontentsareprotectedundercopyrightlaw.Thefollowingareprohibitedbylaw:•anypublicperformanceordisplay,includingtransmissionofanyimageoveranetwork;•preparationofanyderivativework,includingtheextraction,inwholeorinpart,ofanyimages;•anyrental,lease,orlendingoftheprogram.SocialPsychologyinAction:ApplicationstoLawandHealthCopyright2006,AllynandBaconCopyright2006,AllynandBaconApplicationstoLawandHealth•SocialPsychologyandtheLegalSystem•SocialPsychologyandPersonalHealthCopyright2006,AllynandBaconSocialPsychologyandtheLegalSystem•BeforetheTrialBegins:EffectsofPoliceInterrogation–Whatisthebestwaytointerrogatesuspects?•Mostpeoplepreferaninquisitorialapproachversusanadversarialapproach•Videotapedinterrogationsshouldshowboththeinterrogatorandthedefendant–Howdointerrogatorsencouragecompliance?•Conductformalinterrogationinintimidatinglocation•Getwitnessorsuspecttoexperienceuncertainty,trustintheofficer,andexpectthatheorsheissupposedtoknowtheanswertoeveryquestionCopyright2006,AllynandBaconSocialPsychologyandtheLegalSystem–Additionalaspectsthatinvolvesocialinfluence•Minimizeseverityofthecrimeandthecharge–Suspectmayconfessafterbeinggivenafalsesenseofsecurity•Presentsuspectswithfakepolygraphresultsandfingerprintdata,inaccurateeyewitnessidentifications,andfalseinformationabouttheconfessionofafellow-suspect–Falseevidenceanduncertaintyaboutwhattodo,people’sbeliefintheirownfalseconfessions,andtheremembranceofimaginarydetailsaboutacrimetheydidnotcommitincreasethelikelihoodoffalseconfessions.Copyright2006,AllynandBaconSocialPsychologyandtheLegalSystem•EffectsofMediaCoverageonPerceptionsofDefendants–Tendstoassisttheprosecutionandhurtthedefense•Thenegativeinformationpeoplereceiveleadstoastrongtendencytoperceivethatthesuspectisguilty.•Typically,morepublicityisrelatedtoagreaterlikelihoodthatthejurorswillconvictthedefendant.–Governmentofficialsprovidethemediawithmuchinformationaboutthecrimeandsuspects.–Biasingeffectsofpretrialpublicitycanbereducedwhenjurorsaregivenreasonstobesuspiciousofthemotivesbehindwhyincriminatingevidencemighthavebeengiventothemedia.Copyright2006,AllynandBaconSocialPsychologyandtheLegalSystem•TheAccuracyofEyewitnesses–EyewitnessTestimony—evidencegivenbypersonswhohavewitnessedacrimeplaysanimportantroleinmanytrials–Researchershavefoundthateyewitnesstestimonyisnotveryreliable.•Identifyinnocentpersonsascriminals•Makeerrorsregardingimportantaspectsofacrime•Report“remembering”eventsthatdidnotactuallyoccur–SuggestibilityduetoleadingquestionsandsourcemonitoringcanleadtomemorydistortionsCopyright2006,AllynandBaconSocialPsychologyandtheLegalSystem–Otherfactorsthatdecreasetheaccuracyofeyewitnesstestimony•Intenseemotions•Timeandinterveninginformation(e.g.,misleadingpost-eventinformation)•Memorydistortionandmemoryconstruction–Falsememoriescanbecreatedandcaninfluencejurors’judgmentsofguiltorinnocence.»Thesememoriesarecreatedbyimaginingtheeventandbyconfabulating(makingupinformation).–Recoveringforgottenmemoriesoftraumaticevents»Evidencefortheaccuracyofthesememoriesismixed.»Someofthesememoriesmayhavebeenconstructed.Copyright2006,AllynandBaconSocialPsychologyandtheLegalSystemCopyright2006,AllynandBaconSocialPsychologyandtheLegalSystem–Increasingeyewitnessaccuracy•Conductcognitiveinterviewsinwhicheyewitnessesareaskedtoreporteverythingtheycanrememberandtodescribeeventsdifferentlyfromwhattheyreportactuallyoccurred•Improvepolicelineupsbyusingtheblank-lineupcontrolinwhichlineupcontainsonlynon-suspects•Presentpicturesofthecrimesceneandofthevictim•Displaytheline-uponepersonatatimeratherthanasagroup•EncouragewitnessestoofferfirstimpressionsCopyright2006,AllynandBaconSocialPsychologyandtheLegalSystem•EffectsofAttorneys,Judges,Defendants,andJurors–Attorneys•Battletogetdesiredoutcome–VoirDire:attorneysexaminepotentialjurorstodeterminewhowillbehelpfultothem•Askleadingquestionstoelicitspecificresponses•Attorneys’remarkswhenemotionallychargedmaybeimpossibletodisregard–Mentalcontamination(judgments,emotions,orbehaviorareinfluencedbymentalprocessesthatarenotunderone’scontrol)occurs–Forensicpsychologistshavecontributedtochangesinthelegalsystemtoincreaseitsfairness.Copyright2006,AllynandBaconSocialPsychologyandtheLegalSystem–DefendantandJurorCharacteristics•Defendant’srace(ethnicity)–AfricanAmericandefendantsareatadisadvantageinthelegalsystem.»Morelikelytobeconvictedofmurderandtoreceivethedeathpenaltythanarewhites•Defendant’sphysicalappearance,gender,andsocioeconomicstatus–Attractivedefendants,femaledefendants,andthoseofhighersocioeconomicstatusarelesslikelytobefoundguiltyofmostmajorcrimes•Defendant’sbehaviorinthecourtroom–Defendantswhosmilearemorelikelytoreceiveleniency.Copyright2006,AllynandBaconSocialPsychologyandtheLegalSystem•Juror’sgender–Womenaremorelikelythanmenaretoconvictinsexualassaultcases•Jurorsdifferintermsoftheattitudesandbeliefstheyhold–Somehavealeniencybiasandothersbelieveinlegalauthoritarianism•Jurorsdifferinhowtheyprocessinformation–Somehavealreadyarrivedatadecisionbeforethetrialbeginsandseekeviden