Question 1

Jasmine is a social psychologist. Her knowledge and skills might be most relevant for the legal system in which one of these cases?

Accepted Answer

Social psychologists study how social influences affect behavior, making them well-suited to examine how interrogation methods might lead to false confessions.

Question 2

During the trial, each side is trying to win the case. However, the goal of the legal system overall is to:

Accepted Answer

The primary goal of the legal system is to achieve justice, ensuring that the law is applied fairly and appropriately to all parties involved in a case.

Question 3

According to the text, psychology ____, whereas the legal system _____.

Accepted Answer

Psychology often focuses on understanding the characteristics and behaviors of groups to derive general principles, while the legal system typically deals with individual cases, applying laws and principles to specific situations.

Question 4

Brandeis's brief in Muller v. Oregon (1908) was a milestone in the development of the psychology and law union because it:

Accepted Answer

Brandeis's brief in Muller v. Oregon was significant because it utilized social scientific evidence to argue for the constitutionality of labor laws, marking one of the first times such evidence was used in U.S. courts to influence legal decision-making. This set a precedent for the acceptance of social science research in legal contexts.

Question 5

According to the text, legal culture tries to avoid ____, whereas for psychology, _____ is an integral part of the scientific process.

Accepted Answer

Legal culture aims to avoid uncertainty to ensure clarity and predictability in law, while for psychology, uncertainty is a fundamental aspect of exploring human behavior and mental processes, leading to new discoveries and understandings.

Question 6

Courts have been more receptive to clinical psychologists than to other types of psychologists. The most probable reason is that, like lawyers, clinicians:

Accepted Answer

Clinical psychologists, like lawyers, focus on individual cases, tailoring their approach and analysis to the specific details and circumstances of each case. This similarity in approach makes their contributions more directly applicable and valuable in legal contexts.

Question 7

The primary goal of psychological science is to:

Accepted Answer

The primary goal of psychological science is to understand and provide accurate explanations of human behavior and mental processes.

Question 8

Legal realism, as expressed by Karl Llewellyn in the 1920s-1930s, embodied all of the following views, EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Legal realism, as articulated by Karl Llewellyn and others, emphasized that law cannot be understood in isolation from its effects on society. It argued against the formalist idea that law could be applied without regard to its social consequences, making option B the correct answer as it contradicts the core principles of legal realism.

Question 9

Sam is a cognitive psychologist. What aspect of the legal process might he provide assistance with to the court?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Sam is a cognitive psychologist. What aspect...

Question 10

Legal realists:

Accepted Answer

Legal realists believe that law is not a fixed set of rules but is instead constructed by judges through their interpretations of evidence and precedent. This view contrasts with the idea that law is a system of logic or principles found in nature.

Question 11

The famous Brown v. Board of Education (1954) case, besides being one of the most important Supreme Court rulings of the 20th century, was a milestone in the psychology and law alliance for the following reason:

Accepted Answer

The ruling in Brown v. Board of Education cited research conducted by social scientists, particularly the work of psychologists Kenneth and Mamie Clark on the effects of segregation on African-American children, demonstrating the court's reliance on social science evidence to make its landmark decision.

Question 12

_____ can be described as an effort to figure out how the world works, whereas _____ provides a system for meting out just desserts.

Accepted Answer

Science is the effort to understand how the world works through observation and experimentation, while law is a system for administering justice and determining consequences for actions.

Question 13

Nia is a cognitive psychologist. Her knowledge and skills might be most relevant for the legal system in which one of these cases?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive psychologists study mental processes such as perception, memory, and understanding, which are relevant to how jurors comprehend jury instructions.

Question 14

In the 1960s-1970s, all of the following tendencies were developing, EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

During the 1960s-1970s, there was indeed a growing interest and optimism in the intersection of psychology and law, which included the legal system's increasing openness to social scientific research, psychologists' eagerness to apply their research to legal matters, and enthusiasm for therapeutic rehabilitation methods. The statement that there was growing pessimism about the alliance of psychology and law does not align with the general trends of the era.

Question 15

Precedents can best be described as:

Accepted Answer

Precedents are legal cases that establish a rule or principle that is then used by courts to decide later cases with similar issues or facts. This is a fundamental concept in common law systems, where past judicial decisions guide future ones.

Question 16

When psychology and law are discussed as embodying different cultures, the following underlying cultural differences are viewed as most important:

Accepted Answer

Psychology and law are considered to embody different cultures primarily due to their distinct behaviors, values, and beliefs. These elements fundamentally shape how each field approaches problems, interprets information, and interacts with society, highlighting the cultural differences between the two disciplines.

Question 17

When psychology and law are discussed as embodying different cultures, the following underlying differences between the two fields are considered most important:

Accepted Answer

Psychology and law differ significantly in their goals (what they aim to achieve), methods (how they conduct their work), and styles of inquiry (how they investigate and analyze issues). Psychology focuses on understanding human behavior through empirical research, while law is concerned with the application of legal principles and precedents to govern behavior and resolve disputes.

Question 18

At the end of the 19th century, Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes famously said: "Law is the government of the living by the dead." His saying reflects the currently relevant principle that:

Accepted Answer

Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes's saying reflects the principle that legal rulings made in the past can still be applicable and influential in current cases, emphasizing the enduring nature of law across generations.

Question 19

The _____ approach treats laws as being actively constructed by judges as serving social policy goals, whereas _____ treats laws as evolved to reflect the principles found in nature.

Accepted Answer

Legal realism views laws as creations of judges aimed at serving social policies, while "natural law" theory sees laws as evolving to embody natural principles.

Question 20

Santiago is a clinical psychologist. His knowledge and skills might be most relevant for the legal system in which one of these cases?

Accepted Answer

Santiago's knowledge and skills in clinical psychology are most relevant for assessing a mentally ill defendant's competency to stand trial.

Quiz 1: Psychology and Law: a Cautious Alliance