Psychology and Law

This class will examine the ways in which the law is, or ought to be, informed by psychological research. Psychological research findings across subdisciplines such as clinical, social, and cognitive psychology will be used to understand issues related to the law. Examples of the areas in which psychology and law intersect are adult and child eyewitness testimony, jury decision making, interrogation and confessions, the clinical determination of insanity, competence to stand trial, the sexual victimization of women and children and its proof, and race and race bias and the law. Additionally, the course will examine the ways in which the practice of law has adapted to new developments in our understanding of human psychology, for instance the development of alternative forms of dispute resolution and alternative courts. Finally, the class will cover the ways in which understanding human psychology may assist in the practice of law and effective client representation.