“Psychology And The Law: A Special Issue Of Current Directions In Psychological Science” plus 1 more |
| Psychology And The Law: A Special Issue Of Current Directions In Psychological Science Posted: 18 Feb 2011 07:13 AM PST  Main Category: Psychology / Psychiatry Article Date: 18 Feb 2011 - 4:00 PST  email to a friend  printer friendly  opinions  Current Article Ratings:
Legal systems are necessary in any functioning society. Centuries ago, people realized that the only way to maintain a peaceful community was to develop a firm set of rules-laws-to punish transgressors. As laws have continued to evolve in societies around the world, psychological scientists have begun to investigate the psychological basis of many aspects of legal systems. A new special issue of Current Directions in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, presents the current state of research on psychology and law. Many lawyers rely on eyewitness identifications and expert testimony in the courtroom, but scientific research increasingly suggests that this evidence is often unreliable. Eyewitnesses may be influenced by a suspect's race and by feedback from law enforcement officers. Expert testimony may be similarly flawed. Studies have shown that experts are often biased to the side that requested their assistance and even when expert testimony is truly objective, the judge-who is also susceptible to bias-often has the final say in determining which testimony is admissible in a trial. Successful interviews of witnesses and suspects are critical for an effective legal system. However, false confessions may result when police officers present fabricated evidence and lie to suspects-a strategy known as the Reid technique. Psychological scientists have investigated alternative methods; for example, research suggests that false confessions may be reduced by the PEACE model, a method commonly used by officers in the United Kingdom which does not allow officers to misinform a suspect. Aside from judges, juries play a key role in a number of legal systems around the world. Although all jurors enter the courtroom with some sort of implicit bias, research shows that juries are largely effective at considering evidence presented to them and applying the law. While no legal system is perfect, scientific research may increase our understanding of the psychological underpinnings of suspect interviews, jury selection, and judges' decisions and thus help ensure that legal systems evolve in the most efficient direction. Source:
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| Philosophy Lite: Integrating psychology and religion Posted: 18 Feb 2011 02:01 PM PST By Raymond Smith Psychology is defined as the science of mind, or of mental states and processes - the science of human nature. Philosophers, such as Rene Descartes, played an important role in the history of psychology. "An Austrian physician changed the face of psychology in a dramatic way, proposing a theory of personality that emphasized the importance of the unconscious mind. Freud's clinical work with patients suffering from hysteria and other ailments led him to believe that early childhood experience and unconscious impulses contributed to the development of adult personality and behavior." (About.com: psychology) In America, men like B.F. Skinner, Carl Rogers and William James carried on the work. The problem was that secular psychoanalysis had its limitations. By lengthy sessions with the patient, the analyst might bring out factors that the patient could work on, but relief might come slowly, and the burden was on the patient. Today, we have a better way, setting the patient free from his problems. It is Christian psychoanalysis, and it offers a new life through faith in Christ. Instead of the patient trying to overcome his problem on his own, he can discover a way to turn his problems over to God who would offer forgiveness and give him a clean slate. Guilt leads to death, but forgiveness brings life. Who could possibly be a better counselor or Savior than the author of life itself? The teachings of Jesus offer the highest and noblest way of living known to man and the best moral order for man to live in peace with his brothers. More than this, the redeemed person can find love, fellowship and acceptance in a Christian group that would meet his needs. "There's a growing awareness in the counseling field and in seminaries that Christianity and spirituality in general are integral to a person's well-being," says Paula Baylor, a Christian counselor and graduate adviser at Eastern University in St. Davids, Penn., a school that trains faith-based counselors. While nearly three-fourths of Americans say their life is spiritually oriented, only 32 percent of psychiatrists feel the same and the majority of traditional counselor training programs have no courses dealing with spiritual matters. The American Association of Christian Counselors has grown from 15,000 members in 1999 to 50,000 today. Just as there are lay preachers, there can be lay counselors, but persons with serious problems should be referred to the professionals. There are many instructive books on the subject, such as Jay Adams' "Competent to Counsel" and Frank Minirths' "Happiness is a Choice." One of my favorite writers is Paul Tournier (1898-1986). As a Swiss physician and committed Christian, he became interested in the healing of the mind and, in 1937, combined his medical practice with Christian counseling. His first book was "The Healing of Persons." In 2006, Christianity Today magazine listed Paul Tournier's subsequent book, "The Meaning of Persons," as one of the top 50 books that have influenced the way evangelicals think, talk, witness, worship and live. Raymond F. Smith is a deacon at Fellowship Bible Church in Victoria and President of Strong Families of Victoria. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
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