Research Issues in Forensic Psychology

Year
4
Academic year
2020-2021
Code
02018145
Subject Area
Psychology
Language of Instruction
Portuguese
Mode of Delivery
Face-to-face
Duration
SEMESTRIAL
ECTS Credits
4.0
Type
Compulsory
Level
2nd Cycle Studies - Mestrado

Recommended Prerequisites

NA

Teaching Methods

Teaching methodologies:

Lecturing; analyzing and discussing research papers.

 

Evaluation:

Midterm exam (50%) and a research work (50%) that comprises a mini research project report concerning a question related with the research issues included in the curricular unit’s syllabus.

Learning Outcomes

Objectives:

- Knowing present research issues in the field of Forensic Psychology

- Knowing research methods and procedures used in Forensic Psychology

- Analyzing research results’ implications for forensic psychology practice

 

Competencies:

- Being able to implement research procedures with the purpose of seeking for an explanation regarding questions with interest for Forensic Psychology

- Developing written communication skills concerning research subjects

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

Detecting deception and witness assessment: specific techniques (e.g., Statement Validity Assessment, Reality Monitoring, and polygraph techniques), emotional, cognitive complexity and control mechanisms and the contextual/personality variables

Memory for events and memory for people in eyewitness testimony: false memories; interrogative suggestibility; people identification procedures and faces’ recall methods; cognitive interview

Malingering, symptom exaggeration and poor effort in Forensic Neuropsychology: research in medico-legal and prison contexts

Developmental approaches to criminal conduct, with emphasis on the following topics:

Cognitive development, social maturity and criminal responsibility; mental disorder, substance abuse, delinquency across adolescence, and its implications for juvenile justice

Psychopathy: from traditional approaches to new assessment proposals; psychopathy in children and adolescents: current research, critical review and new theoretical proposals

Head Lecturer(s)

Maria Salomé Ferreira Estima Pinho

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Frequency: 50.0%
Research work: 50.0%

Bibliography

Cliford, B. R., & Bull, R. (2017), The psychology of person identification (vol. 6). Oxford: Routledge.

 

Fonseca, A. C. (2010) (Ed). Crianças e adolescentes (pp.595-634). Coimbra: Almedina.

 

Lampinen, J. M., Neuschatz, J. S., & Cling, A.D. (2012). The psychology of eyewitness identification. Hove: Psychology Press.

 

Morizot, J., &  Kazemian, L. (2015) (Eds.), The development of criminal and antisocial behavior.  Dordrecht: Springer.

 

Rogers, R. (2012). Clinical assessment of malingering and deception (3rd ed.). New York: Guilford.

 

Rosenfeld, B., & Penrod, S. D. (2011) (Eds.), Research methods in forensic psychology. New York: Wiley.

 

Salekin, R., & Lynam, D. (Eds) (2010). Handbook of child and adolescent psychopathy. London: Guilford.

 

Toglia, M. P., Read, J. D., Ross, D. F., & Lindsay, R. C. L. (2007) (Eds.), The handbook of eyewitness psychology (vol. I and II). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum

 

Vrij, A. (2008). Detecting lies and deceit: Pitfalls and opportunities (2nd ed.). Chichester: Wiley