Question 1

Nadia is a clinical psychologist in training. She wants to focus on the confluence of psychology and legal issues. She is most likely trying to become a:

Accepted Answer

Forensic psychology is the field that blends psychology with the legal system. Professionals in this area often work on cases involving mental health assessments, criminal behavior, and legal principles.

Question 2

Forensic psychology emerged in the:

Accepted Answer

Forensic psychology began to gain recognition as a distinct field in the 1970s, with the establishment of professional organizations and the development of specialized training programs.

Question 3

Alondra is learning about the credentials and training necessary to work in a specific area. She is becoming familiar with:

Accepted Answer

A

Question 4

Marcel is learning about the specific guidelines for tasks and practice areas. He is becoming familiar with:

Accepted Answer

Practice standards are the specific guidelines for tasks and practice areas that professionals must follow to ensure they are performing their duties correctly and ethically.

Question 5

Examining evidence from a crime scene, interviewing witnesses and/or victims, and then constructing a description of the perpetrator is known as:

Accepted Answer

Criminal profiling involves analyzing evidence from a crime scene, interviewing witnesses or victims, and using this information to create a description of the suspect. This technique is used by law enforcement to identify and apprehend suspects.

Question 6

Psychopathy is common in the prison population, between _____% of the population as opposed to about 1% in the general population.

Accepted Answer

Psychopathy is more common in the prison population than in the general population, with estimates suggesting that between 15%-25% of prisoners may exhibit psychopathic traits, compared to about 1% in the general population. This higher prevalence is attributed to the association between psychopathic traits and criminal behavior.

Question 7

Psychologists that work in prisons deal with:

Accepted Answer

Psychologists working in prisons typically specialize in correctional psychology, which focuses on the assessment and treatment of individuals within the correctional system, including rehabilitation and understanding criminal behavior.

Question 8

One of the major differences between a traditional clinical practice and a forensic practice is that:

Accepted Answer

The primary distinction between traditional clinical practice and forensic practice lies in their objectives: clinical psychologists aim to assist their patients in improving their mental health, while forensic psychologists focus on providing information, assessments, or expert testimony that assists the court in making legal decisions.

Question 9

Zain has been arrested for a crime and is being evaluated to determine if he is presenting a negative picture of his functioning to avoid prosecution. He is being assessed for:

Accepted Answer

Malingering involves the intentional production of false or exaggerated symptoms motivated by external incentives, such as avoiding prosecution.

Question 10

Which 20-item scale that is administered as an interview and assesses the behavioral, affective, and interpersonal characteristics of the pathological personality style, as also includes a review of written records and documents?

Accepted Answer

The Hare Psychopathy Checklist, specifically the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R), is the correct tool mentioned for assessing the behavioral, affective, and interpersonal characteristics of the pathological personality style, including a review of written records and documents.

Question 11

The primary goal of treatment for perpetrators of criminal activity is to:

Accepted Answer

The primary goal of treatment for perpetrators of criminal activity is to reduce recidivism, which means preventing them from committing more crimes in the future.

Question 12

In terms of ecological validity, does the treatment of psychopathy actually decrease criminal behavior?

Accepted Answer

The answer of In terms of ecological validity, does the...

Question 13

Polygraphs are used to detect:

Accepted Answer

Polygraphs are commonly used as lie detectors, measuring physiological responses that may indicate deception.

Question 14

Leilani is taking a polygraph because she is suspected of stealing money from her job as a bank teller. The examiner asks her, "What day of the week is it?" This is an example of a(n):

Accepted Answer

This is an example of a Neutral control question because it is unrelated to the issue being investigated (theft) and is used to establish a baseline for the person's physiological responses to non-threatening questions.

Question 15

Leilani is taking a polygraph because she is suspected of stealing money from her job as a bank teller. The examiner asks her, "Have you ever stolen anything in your life?" This is an example of a(n):

Accepted Answer

This is an example of a high affect control question because it is designed to elicit an emotional response and is used to establish a baseline for the person's reactions, which can then be compared to reactions to questions directly related to the investigation.

Question 16

Leilani is taking a polygraph because she is suspected of stealing money from her job as a bank teller. The examiner asks her, "Did you steal the money from the bank?" This is an example of a(n):

Accepted Answer

This is an investigative question because it directly relates to the specific incident under investigation, aiming to determine Leilani's involvement in the theft.

Question 17

Leilani is taking a polygraph because she is suspected of stealing money from her job as a bank teller. The examiner compares her responses to determine if she is lying. This is an example of a(n):

Accepted Answer

The control question technique is used in polygraph tests to compare responses to relevant questions (about the crime) with responses to control questions (related to the person's honesty and past but not directly related to the crime). This comparison helps the examiner infer if the person is lying about the specific incident under investigation.

Question 18

In research looking at college students in a highly controlled experiment, polygraph accuracy is close to:

Accepted Answer

The answer of In research looking at college students in...

Question 19

In research looking at real-world settings where someone is actually suspected of a crime, polygraph accuracy is close to:

Accepted Answer

Polygraph accuracy in real-world settings is around 60%.

Question 20

In research looking at real world settings where someone is actually suspected of a crime, if the same examiner gives the test and interprets the data, polygraph accuracy is close to.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In research looking at real world settings...

Quiz 16: Forensic Psychology