Forensic Psychology Unit 6: Deception

Forensic Psychology- Unit 6: Deception

• Polygraph methods previously used included dry rice powder to detect anxiety. 
• William Marston's polygraph followed a similar concept detecting physiological changes as indicative of deception.
• Polygraph tests measure physiological changes like respiration, heart rate, and sweating.  
• Polygraphs are not lie detectors.
• Can be used in criminal investigations, to verify claims (in insurance for example), and in pre-employment screening.
• Different types of polygraph tests exist, including relevant/irrelevant and comparison question tests.
• Relevant/irrelevant tests compare physiological responses to relevant vs. irrelevant crime related questions.
• Comparison tests use comparative questions, irrelevant questions, and relevant questions. 
• These tests aim to gauge if physiological responses are stronger for relevant compared to irrelevant questions which indicates possible deception.

Forensic Psychology- Unit 7: Eyewitness Testimonies

• Eyewitness testimonies are malleable and can be reshaped and reconstructed
• Memory can change without conscious awareness.
• Repeated processing can lead to memory changes through multiple interviews, or exposure to media accounts etc
• Encoding, storage and retrieval are stages in memory, not all information goes through all these stages
• Factors affecting perception such as stress, surprise etc can distort memory accuracy.

Forensic Psychology- Unit 7: Eyewitness Testimony- Memory Issues

• Memory is likened to a crime scene which is why it shouldn't be disturbed as too many changes will happen
• Memory malleability means that memory changes occur even without direct manipulation of the recall.
• Source misattribution: recalling event you heard about as something you experienced

Forensic Psychology- Unit 8: Child Victims and Witnesses

•  Historical views on child witnesses have adjusted over time (from being seen as unreliable and prone to suggestion to being considered valid sources)
• Concerns about suggestibility in young children
• Interview techniques have changed.
•  Specific techniques like the use of dolls and other visual aids, and step-wise interview procedures, are meant to improve memory recall.
•  Important for professionals to be aware of ways to minimize suggestion.

Forensic Psychology- Unit 9: Juries- The Purpose of a Jury

• Juries apply the law to the facts of a case
• Prevent out-of-date laws by allowing juries to use their conscience
• Act as a community conscience
• Used in summary, indictable and hybrid offenses.

Forensic Psychology- Unit 9: Juries- Jury Selection

• Lawyer's can use scientific jury selection in US (questioning potential jury members)
•  Jury selection in Canada is more restricted; lawyers cannot question jurors.
• A potential juror can be challenged (struck) for cause given reason(s) as to why they can't be fair.

### Forensic Psychology- Unit 9: Juries- Impartiality

•  Jurors must be impartial.
•   Pre-trial publicity can affect juror impartiality.
•   Publication bans may be used to prevent jurors from being exposed to potentially biasing information
•  Change of venue is an option

Forensic Psychology- Unit 9: Juries- Jury Deliberations

•  Majority vs unanimous verdicts.
•  Note taking during jury deliberation.

Forensic Psychology- Unit 10: Psychopathy

• Psychopathy is a personality disorder characterised by traits such as superficial charm, grandiosity, and lack of remorse or empathy.
•  Traits include conning manipulative behavior, lack of remorse, and disregard for social rules.
• Psychopathy linked to criminal activity
•  There are different measures and assessments of psychopathy: the semi-structured Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) and the Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised (PPI-R).
• Research on psychopathy has shown gender disparities (more common in men).