Question 1

You have witnessed a crime and are testifying for the prosecution. What type of question should the defense attorney ask you to invalidate your testimony?

Accepted Answer

The defense attorney might use a question that incorporates inaccurate information to challenge the witness's memory or perception of the event, potentially leading to inconsistencies or doubts about the accuracy of their testimony.

Question 2

A lawyer defending a client whose DNA evidence supports his innocence even though an eyewitness puts the client at the scene of the crime:

Accepted Answer

Eyewitness testimony is known to be less reliable than DNA evidence due to various factors such as memory distortion and misidentification. Introducing evidence about the unreliability of eyewitness testimony can significantly strengthen the lawyer's case, especially when contrasted with DNA evidence supporting the client's innocence.

Question 3

If Dr. Phil were a licensed psychologist, would he be ethically allowed to offer advice to people on television?

Accepted Answer

Psychologists can offer advice in various media, including television, as long as it is based on appropriate psychological practice and adheres to ethical guidelines.

Question 4

The ethical principle of _____ dictates that certain professionals will not divulge the information they obtain from a client.

Accepted Answer

The ethical principle of confidentiality requires professionals, such as doctors, lawyers, and therapists, to keep information shared by their clients private and not disclose it without the client's consent.

Question 5

A _____ is a body of principles and rules for ethical behavior, designed to guide decisions and actions by members of a profession.

Accepted Answer

A code of ethics is a set of principles and rules intended to guide the ethical behavior and decision-making of professionals within a specific field.

Question 6

Psychologists are ethically bound to keep material about their patients confidential EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Psychologists have an ethical obligation to break confidentiality if there is an imminent risk of harm to the patient or others, which is why option A is correct. Writing up a case study for a journal (B), discussing the case in a college class (C), or with a spouse (D) would require explicit consent from the patient or de-identification of the data to protect the patient's confidentiality.

Question 7

Which is an accurate statement regarding the relationship between eyewitness testimony and how it is used in the legal system?

Accepted Answer

Confident witnesses are indeed more likely to be believed by juries, but numerous studies have shown that a witness's confidence in their recollection does not necessarily correlate with the accuracy of their testimony. This discrepancy can lead to the conviction of innocent people based on mistaken eyewitness accounts.

Question 8

Which is NOT a characteristic of serial murderers?

Accepted Answer

Serial murderers typically lack empathy for their victims, which is part of what allows them to commit such crimes without remorse.

Question 9

The American Psychological Association's code of ethics states that sexual relationships between a psychologist and client are:

Accepted Answer

The American Psychological Association's code of ethics strictly prohibits sexual relationships between a psychologist and a client under almost all circumstances to maintain professional boundaries and protect the client's well-being.

Question 10

A landmark California court case, Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California, dramatically affected the right to confidentiality between client and therapist. This case led to the conclusion that:

Accepted Answer

The Tarasoff case established the duty of therapists to breach confidentiality if their client poses a clear and imminent danger to a specific, identifiable person, requiring them to warn the potential victim and authorities.

Question 11

You are watching a TV show in which police call in an expert to provide a psychological profile of the murderer, whose identity is unknown. If the show reflects reality, the profile given will be:

Accepted Answer

Criminal profiling can be somewhat accurate as it relies on patterns of behavior and characteristics that are often, but not always, found in individuals who commit similar types of crimes. However, it is not an exact science, and there is significant variability among individuals who commit murders.

Question 12

Imagine that you are a therapist working on the border between the United States and Mexico but you don't speak Spanish. What is proper ethical behavior for you?

Accepted Answer

Acknowledging limitations and seeking further training is essential for providing competent and ethical care, especially when language barriers exist. Pretending to be knowledgeable, ignoring cultural and linguistic differences, or continuing unchanged practices can harm the client and violate ethical standards.

Question 13

Which is NOT true about profiling?

Accepted Answer

Profiling in real life is often more complex and less definitive than how it is typically portrayed in television shows, where it is often dramatized for entertainment purposes. In reality, profiling involves careful analysis and is not always as straightforward or as successful as depicted on TV.

Question 14

A psychologist wanted to accept a client with whom he had previously had a sexual relationship. According to ethical guidelines, the psychologist:

Accepted Answer

According to ethical guidelines, particularly those outlined by the American Psychological Association (APA), psychologists are prohibited from engaging in therapy with individuals with whom they have had a sexual relationship. This is to maintain professional boundaries and avoid conflicts of interest and potential harm to the client.

Question 15

Which principle is MOST likely to result in a conflict with the mental health professional's obligation to maintain confidentiality for the patient?

Accepted Answer

The duty to protect involves situations where a mental health professional may need to breach confidentiality to protect the patient or others from harm, such as in cases where the patient poses a threat to themselves or others. This principle can conflict with the obligation to maintain patient confidentiality.

Question 16

The ethical principle of _____ requires a therapist to break confidentiality with a patient without the patient's consent if there is a fear that the patient will harm someone else.

Accepted Answer

The principle of "duty to protect" obligates a therapist to break confidentiality if they believe a patient poses a threat to someone else, ensuring the potential victim's safety.

Question 17

Research indicates that eyewitness testimony is:

Accepted Answer

Eyewitness testimony is often impaired by the stressful, confusing, or traumatic events of the crime, which can affect memory recall and accuracy.

Question 18

If a psychologist wanted to write a newspaper column on mental health issues in the community, what would that psychologist need to do to comply with professional ethical standards?

Accepted Answer

The psychologist must ensure that any advice or information provided to the public, including through a newspaper column, is based on sound scientific research and established psychological principles to comply with professional ethical standards. This ensures the dissemination of accurate and reliable information.

Question 19

If you are the typical therapist, you have:

Accepted Answer

It is common for therapists to experience feelings of attraction towards their clients at some point in their career, but professional ethics and guidelines strictly prohibit acting on these feelings. Therefore, while attraction can occur, engaging in a sexual relationship with a client is unethical and against professional standards.

Question 20

What is enhanced-interrogation?

Accepted Answer

Enhanced interrogation refers to methods used in questioning that are more aggressive and often considered to be torture-based. These techniques are used to elicit information from detainees and are controversial due to their ethical implications.

Quiz 19: Law, Society, and the Mental Health Profession