Running Head: ABBREVIATED TITLE
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ASSIGNMENT ASSIGNMENT COVER
Course code:
PSY101U
Course name:
Introduction to Psychology
Assignment Assignment II
title: Instructor’s Afroditi Papaioannou-Spiroulia
name: Student’s Eleftheria Bikou
name: Date:
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Comments:
Grade:
/100
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Paper 'itle Eleftheria Bikou !"0#"01$
Introduction to Psychology
[email protected] Afroditi Papaioannou-Spiroulia
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Abstract
+o,adays the field of forensic psychology has gro,n ery fast. Increasingly/ psychologists and other mental health professionals are eing asked for proiding epertise in a ,ide ariety of legal procedures 234(onohue 5 )eensky/ 00$6. 7eldman 20106 in his ook ,ith title 8Understanding Psychology9 gies a rief definition of forensic psychology. 7orensic psychology is focusing on legal issues/ such as determining the accuracy of ,itness memories. In this assignment the author is going to descrie and analy:e the field of forensic psychology the roles and the responsiilities of the forensic psychologists/ the application of this field and the necessity of this occupation International.
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7orensic Psychology Definition
;hen a person hears aout 7orensic Psychology it is usual to hae in his mind the idea that '& sho,s and films promotes. But the impression that this person has is inaccurate. Unfortunately/ forensic psychologists are not collecting (+A samples neither arresting criminals. In fact they are rarely crime scene inestigators 2
ects such as eye,itness identification and >ury ehaior and is not correlating forensic psychology ,ith any other field in psychology. So/ ,e can say that forensic psychology is the interaction of the study of psychology and the la, comined other clinical specialties to the legal area. History of forensic psychology
7orensic psychology/ in these early years of the 1st century/ is still a ne, field of applied psychology. In 001/ forensic psychology has een recogni:ed y American Psychological Association as a specialty 2APA/ 01*6 2Bartol 5 Bartol/ 01$6. Additionally/ as ,e are going ack in the early years of this field/ a sign that pointing us the gro,th of this field is the creation
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of the American Psychology-)a, Society in 1?#?/ an organi:ation in forensic psychology 2
If someone is interested for eing a forensic psychologist/ the most common education"training that is proposed is to e admitted firstly into a graduate program in psychology. In this type of program/ although/ are including and other fields of psychology. 'hen/ most students that are interested in forensic psychology they continue ,ith a master program/ in order to gain a specialty and then there is also the doctorate degree 2Ph(6 2
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degree. Additionally/ the term 8psychologist9 is often directed to those that o ,n a doctorate degree 2Drauss 5 Sales/ 01$6. According to
A forensic psychologist can hae many roles in this field. 7irstly/ as in eery field of psychology/ there is the role of researcher. Interie,ing is the most freFuent ,ay that forensic psychologists are using. As it is kno,n/ ,ith this method gathering information is Fuite easy ecause the psychologist in the one that structured the interie,. Also laoratory eperiment in a techniFue that is used y researchers 2Plotnik 5 Dou youmd>ian/ 0116. )oftus eperiment is a great eample of laoratory eperiment. A group of people ,atched a film ,ith car accidents and then ,as asked aout ,hat they sa, ut ,ith the use of different ,ords in the Fuestions/ ecause that affect the ans,er 2)oftus/ 1?!6. 'he role of consultant to la, enforcement is a n important role for a forensic psychologist. 7or eample if a police officer eperienced a stressful situation during his ,ork/ he is going to e referred for psychological treatment. But there are ethical issues that can e arise 2;rightsman and 7ulero 0106. 'he trial consultant is the most common role of a forensic psychologist. 7reFuently/ a trial consultant is hired y attorneys to help ,ith >ury selection/ ,itness preparation/ or trial strategy. 'hereafter/ they are adisors to the legal system 2Costan:o 5Drauss/ 016. 'here are ethical
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issues too in this application of forensic psychology/ for eample a trial consultant is not only a psychologist is an enterpriser too 2;rightsman and 7ulero 0106. A forensic psychologist can also e an ealuator and an epert ,itness. 'his role is also a common one. An ealuator is asked from the court or the attorneys to do assessment for criminal cases. It must e underlined that in this case there is no confidentiality like in actual therapies/ ecause the forensic psychologist has to make an open report aout the assessment 2;rightsman and 7ulero 0106. An epert ,itness is a person that has speciali:ed k no,ledge through his"her education and eperience. 'he court needs these eperts to testify ecause of their lack of kno,ledge on some topics. +ot eeryone has kno,ledge aout forensic psychology. 2Costan:o 5Drauss/ 016. But according to
'here are many career options for a forensic psychologist. But unfortunately not in eery country need one. In =reece there is no application of this professional. Psychiatrists are the only that can testify in the court as an epert ,itness ecause there are the only that can offer a diagnosis. Basically/ eerything that it has to do ,ith forensic psychology only psychiatrists can gie an opinion. 'he only application of forensic psychology in =reece is teaching in colleges"uniersities or to e instructor for a psychology course. 7rom the other hand in United States and in some European countries/ a forensic psychologist has more career options. 7or eample in federal/ state or local goernment and facilities 2>ails/ prisons/ police departments6 or courts/ attorneys and legal adocacy groups
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2;rightsman and 7ulero 0106. Also forensic psychologists in no,adays ealuate and testify in insanity cases in the United States freFuently 2
'he author decided to collect information aout forensic psychology and present them ecause of the great interest that this field is receiing more and more. Also/ as an influence played a crucial role the actiity of the 8Innocent Pro>ect9. 'his is an organi:ation that eonerates ,rongfully conicted people ,ith the help of (+A tests/ trying to preent future condemnation of innocent people. 8Since 1??/ the Innocence Pro>ect has used (+A eidence to ,in the eoneration of $# prisoners nation,ide. 7aulty eye,itness identification played a role in the ,rongful conictions of approimately ! G of these indiiduals9 2,,,.innocencepro>ect.org6. 7orensic psychologists hae Hamong other- the responsiility to inestigate ,hether a testimony of an eye,itness is right or ,rong. It is kno,n that an eye,itness is the most significant eidence for a case 2;rightsman 5 7ulero/ 0106. 'he court relies on the testimony of the eye,itness ,ithout douting. But as the eidence sho,ed us aoe/ eye,itnesses can e ,rong. 'he author4s main reason that chooses this field of psychology is ecause it is ama:ing ho, many people conicted for crimes that ,ere not responsile. According to ;ells et al 21??@6 false eye,itness identification is the ma>or cause of condemnation of a person that is not the perpetrator of a crime. As it mentioned in the information pack/ forensic psychology is correlated ,ith other fields in psychology as cognitie/ social/ deelopmental and clinical psychology. 'he fact that a
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forensic psychologist can epound for eample criminal ehaiors and ,rong testimonies from eye,itnesses is a proof that forensic psychology is necessary.
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%eferences American Psychological Association. 201*6. Specialty guidelines for forensic psychology. American Psychologist/ #@216/ H1?. doi10.10*"a00?@@? Bartol/ C. %./ 5 Bartol/ A. . 201$6. ian/ <. 20116. Introduction to Psychology 2?th ed.6. Cengage )earning ;ells/ =. )./ Small/ ./ Penrod/ S./ alpass/ %. S./ 7ulero. S. ./ Brimacome/ C. A. E. 21??@6. Eye,itness identification procedures %ecommendations for lineups and photospreads. a% and Human &eha#ior. ;rightsman/ ). S./ 5 7ulero/ S. . 20106. Forensic psychology 2*rd ed.6. Belmont/ CA ;ads,orth
