Deck 12: Section 3 Juries and Judges As Decision Makers

Question 1

Several focused forensic assessment instruments were developed for determining the best custody arrangement. However:

A) they are not used widely despite their excellent psychometric properties.
B) their validity and reliability are largely in doubt.
C) these techniques are combinations of existing tests.
D) they can only be administered to adults, not to children.

Answer 1

their validity and reliability are largely in doubt.

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT true about mediation?

A) It leads to custody agreements more quickly.
B) It is conducted in a non-adversarial setting.
C) It is more costly than litigation.
D) It is faster than litigation.

Answer 2

It is more costly than litigation.

Question 3

The case of Painter v. Bannister (1966) illustrates:

A) the doctrine Pater familias.
B) the wide discretion the courts have in awarding custody.
C) the tender years doctrine.
D) the reasonable parent standard.

Answer 3

the wide discretion the courts have in awarding custody.

Question 4

One commonly used test in custody evaluations is the Rorschach Inkblot Test. The reason why it is not advisable to use this test is that it:

A) lacks validity and reliability in forensic evaluations.
B) has the potential to cause psychological distress to the subject.
C) is extremely complex to interpret and requires years of practice on the part of the evaluator.
D) is intimate in nature, which puts the subject in an uncomfortable position.

Question 5

Under the tender years doctrine, unless there were extenuating circumstances, _____ were placed in the custody of the mother.

A) all children
B) only young children
C) young children and female children
D) only female children

Question 6

All of the following instruments are commonly used by psychologists in child custody evaluations EXCEPT the:

A) Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, Second Edition (MMPI-2).
B) Rorschach Inkblot Test.
C) Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV).
D) Millon Multiaxial Personality Inventory, Third edition (MCMI-III).

Question 7

To circumvent the vagueness of the best interest of the child standard, many states have adopted:

A) the joint legal custody standard.
B) the primary caretaker rule.
C) preferred custody arrangements.
D) the approximation rule.

Question 8

Which custody arrangement is most common?

A) Sole physical custody by the mother.
B) Sole physical custody by the father.
C) Joint physical custody.
D) Joint physical and legal custody.

Question 9

A majority of children whose parents divorce:

A) show serious adjustment problems throughout life.
B) manage to adapt and to grow into psychologically healthy adults.
C) show externalizing problems throughout life.
D) have difficulty in forming relationships throughout life.

Question 10

Under the doctrine Pater familias used in English common law prior to the nineteenth century:

A) fathers were automatically granted custody of their children.
B) mothers were automatically granted custody of their children.
C) the children of the divorcing parents decided what parent they preferred to live with.
D) best interests of the child were taken into account when deciding custody.

Question 11

According to the text, which of the following is NOT a reason for the paucity of research on the long-term effects of divorce on children?

A) Longitudinal research is difficult, expensive, and time-consuming to conduct.
B) It is difficult to determine whether psychological problems predated the divorce or were caused by it.
C) It is difficult to publish this type of research in scientific journals because it is interdisciplinary.
D) It is difficult to measure the variables indicating healthy adjustment in children.

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT a weakness of the best interest of the child standard (BICS)?

A) Vagueness of the criteria for custody decisions.
B) Possible escalation of conflicts and litigation between parents.
C) Asking courts to predict the future.
D) Presumption that mother is entitled to custody.

Question 13

In which of the following cases did the Supreme Court hold that "custody decisions cannot turn on racial considerations?"

A) Painter v. Bannister
B) Palmore v. Sidoti
C) Myers v. Otto
D) Boswell v. Boswell

Question 14

Which response style is more common in child custody evaluations?

A) Faking good.
B) Acquiescence.
C) Malingering.
D) Learned helplessness.

Question 15

Otto and Martindale (2007) found that judges followed experts' recommendations in about _____ of child custody cases.

A) 60% to 90%
B) 20% to 30%
C) 10%
D) 50%