Forensic Psych Midterm

Which of the following statements correctly reflects the current legal status of the polygraph: A. Almost half of the states have banned the use of polygraph in court B. Only five states allow the use of polygraph evidence in court C. The Supreme Court has banned the use of polygraph test in criminal trials D. Polygraph evidence can only be used in criminal but not civil cases

A. Almost half of the states have banned the use of polygraph in court

Which one of the following situations would be an example of a false negative error? A. An expert declares there is no match when it actually matches B. An expert declares a match when there is no match in reality C. A judge declares a mistrial D. A jury nullifies the experts credentials

A. An expert declares there is no match when it actually matches

Laws are intended to guide _________ with the purpose of providing ________ for the general population. A. Behavior, protection B. Law enforcement officers, Individual liberties C. Law enforcement officers, protection D. Behavior, individual liberties

A. Behavior, protection

Which of the following forms of forensic evidence is the most objective one? A. DNA analysis B. Fingerprint analysis C. Bullet matching D. Handwriting analysis

A. DNA analysis

Psychology is most often interested in _________ while the law is most often interested in __________ A. Groups, individuals B. Individuals, individuals C. Groups, groups D. Individuals, groups

A. Groups, individuals

Which of the following event have promoted psychologists to conduct additional research on and develop new techniques for eliciting accurate reports of abuse? A. Multiple reports of sexual abuse of children in day care centers B. Clinical trials of a new therapy for children who have experienced abuse C. The lowering of the age of criminal responsibility by the Supreme Court D. The change in the age of reporting for sexual abuse

A. Multiple reports of sexual abuse of children in day care centers

Based on the Fundamental Attribution Error (FAE) which of these WOULD NOT be true? A. People are more likely to explain others behavior based on external factors B. People are more likely to explain their own positive behavior as due to internal characteristics C. People are more likely to explain others behavior based on internal characteristics D. People are more likely to explain their own negative behavior based on external characteristics

A. People are more likely to explain others behavior based on external factors

Which of these IS NOT a component of a modern criminal profile (and thus not something that Dr. Gampher accurately provided the class about his volunteer in the trick he performed? A. Style of dress of the suspect B. Type and conditions of the vehicle driven by the suspect C. Living arrangements of the suspect D. Age of the suspect

A. Style of dress of the suspect

Dr. Gampher believes that he best available information should be used to make a decision but who determines if scientific evidence is presented? A. The judge B. The scientist C. The attorney D. The client

A. The judge

Forensic psychology involves the application, through professional practice, to the law and to the management of crime and criminals, the principles, theories, and methods derived from scientific and clinical studies of human actions and experience. A. True B. False

A. True

Police-induced false confessions appear to occur primarily in more serious cases, especially homicides and other high-profile felonies A. True B. False

A. True

Studies of proven false confessors have shown that, even In cases involving confessions later proven to be false, juries convict in an overwhelming majority of crimes A. True B. False

A. True

Studies show that when jurors clearly understand that the confession was coerced, they: A. are still more likely to convict the defendant B. discount the confession and tend to acquit the defendant C. take more time to deliberate and sometimes don't reach a verdict D. are more likely to break the rules and talk to the press

A. are still more likely to convict the defendant

Study show that when jurors clearly understand that the confession was coerced, they: A. are still more likely to convict the defendant B. Discount the confession and tend to acquit the defendant C. Take more time to deliberate and sometimes don't reach a verdict D. Are more likely to break the rules and talk to the press

A. are still more likely to convict the defendant

Two components of the presumed child sexual abuse accommodation syndrome (CSAAS) are the denial of abuse and recantation of abuse Researchers who analyzed actual interviews with sexually abused children found that, in reality, the denial and recantation of abuse: A. are unusual B. are very common C. happen only with older children D. happen only in small, tightly knit communities

A. are unusual

The memory process is often described as having the following components: A. encoding, storage, retrieval B. storage, retrieval, ID C. retrieval, storage, processing D. processing, encoding, storage

A. encoding, storage, retrieval

When detectives were asked in a study about their views on profiling, most said they found it: A. helpful B. accurate C. overbearing D. questionable

A. helpful

According to a study completed by Morgan and his colleagues (2004), stress appears to have an effect on eyewitness identification. Based on the study results, the rate of correct ID was _________ in low stress conditions: A. higher B. lower C. similar D. None of the above

A. higher

In a study examining the effectiveness and accuracy of profiling, the vast majority of criminal profiles were found to be: A. inaccurate and inconsistent B. inaccurate but useful C. accurate and useful D. accurate but of little help

A. inaccurate and inconsistent

Hearsay testimony is generally ________ in court but most states do allow an exception to the hearsay rule for _________ victims. A. inadmissible; child B. inadmissible; elderly C. admissible; child D. admissible; vulnerable

A. inadmissible; child

Two fingerprint examiners have independently concluded that the suspect can be excluded as the source of the print. This scenario illustrates the ______ of fingerprint analysis as a measure. A. interrater reliability B. test-retest reliability C. temporal reliability D. interpersonal reliability

A. interrater reliability

Peter was able to pick a guy who looked like his assailant out of a __________. When he was told that this was very helpful to the detectives working the case, Peter felt ________ certain that he remembered his attacker well. A. lineup: even more B. lineup; somewhat less C. cell; even more D. car; somewhat less

A. lineup: even more

Forensic evidence can best be defined as the process of linking: A. physical evidence to a particular individual B. theory to fact C. a particular individual to a source D. physical evidence to a crime scene

A. physical evidence to a particular individual

Amicus curiae briefs: A. provide a way to influence the court when expert testimony is not allowed B. help experts testifying in court get their point across C. reflect scientists' lack of interest in the legal system D. summarize the questions raised by the jury during the deliberation of a verdict

A. provide a way to influence the court when expert testimony is not allowed

The comparison question test (CQT) posits that guilty individuals react more strongly to _______ questions, whereas innocent individuals react more strongly to _______ questions. A. relevant; comparison B. comparison; relevant C. known; unknown D. unknown; known

A. relevant; comparison

Confirmation bias is one's tendency to: A. seek out evidence that supports one's pre-existing beliefs B. confirm the obvious when everybody else is already convinced anyway C. conclude that the suspect is lying despite having trusted this person before D. attribute errors in judgement to agreement with others

A. seek out evidence that supports one's pre-existing beliefs

Research is an important part of understanding how eyewitness accounts are derived. As such, a range of factors are often considered. such factors as the procedures for constructing lineups and questioning witnesses are called A. system variables B. dependent variables C. independent variables D. estimator variables

A. system variables

Reliability refers to: A. the consistency of a measure or observation B. whether the measure is actually measuring what it is supposed to measure C. a situation of low validity D. the definition of the details of a match

A. the consistency of a measure or observation

Bia-reducing instructions are used to assist eyewitnesses to be accurate in their ID of a suspect. An example of such instructions, as noted in the texts, is telling eyewitnesses that _____ in the lineup or photo spread A. the true criminal might not be B. the true criminal is likely to be C. the entire case rests on the selection of someone D. the detective has a strong feeling that one of the suspects might be

A. the true criminal might not be

Oftentimes, the post-identification boost in an eyewitness's confidence level about his or her testimony can be explained by cognitive dissonance, which is a(n): A. uncomfortable feeling when someone has conflicting thoughts B. tendency to maintain a steady course of action C. tendency to become more certain of your opinion over time D. unconscious pleasant feeling when someone is positive of being right

A. uncomfortable feeling when someone has conflicting thoughts

Profiling is regarded as a mostly ______ technique. A. unvalidated B. validated C. research D. biometrical

A. unvalidated

The concept of repression has found _________ support in empirical research studies of real victims of ___________. A. very little; traumatic events B. considerable; traumatic events C. very little; memory loss D. considerable; memory loss

A. very little; traumatic events

Much research has demonstrated that most victims of traumatic events have ________ memories of the episode. A. vivid B. few C. completely repressed their D. first repressed, then recovered their

A. vivid

A shoe imprint left at the crime scene will be much more helpful if it comes from a(n)_________ shoe. A. well-worn B. new C. in-mint condition D. borrowed

A. well-worn

The criminal justice system is a singular entity A. True B. False

B. False

Which one of the following statements about the application of criminal profiling to police investigations is INCORRECT? A. Most characteristics in the profiles are of little use to investigators B. Most cases for which criminal profiles were developed, have been solved with their help C. Many traits ID'd in criminal profiles are ambiguous and open to interpretation D. Incorrect profiles may divert police resources to pursuing the wrong trail

B. Most cases for which criminal profiles were developed, have been solved with their help

Based on research studies of people's abilities in lie detection, the following statement is true: A. Most people can easily detect when another person is lying B. Police detectives are no better at detecting lies than college students C. Training does significantly improve lie detection abilities D. Fidgeting and avoiding eye contact are reliable clues that the person is lying

B. Police detectives are no better at detecting lies than college students

A folkway can be distinguished from a more based on what? A. Neither negative sanction nor social control mechanism B. Strength of negative sanction C. Both negative sanction and social control mechanism D. Social control mechanism invoked upon violation

B. Strength of negative sanction

Voluntary confessions obtained via torture were explicitly ruled to be inadmissible by the supreme court during what period of time? A. The 1890s B. The 1930s C. The 1950s D. The 1970s

B. The 1930s

Psychology (like all sciences) seeks _______ while the justice system seeks ________. A. Justice, truth B. Truth, justice C. Justice, justice D. Truth, truth

B. Truth, justice

During the 1960s-1980s, polygraph use was: A. almost non-existent B. a lucrative business C. only permitted in government agencies D. impossible because the polygraph was invented later

B. a lucrative business

Science is a ___________. A. methodology B. both methodology and knowledge C. neither methodology nor knowledge D. base of knowledge

B. both methodology and knowledge

The basic theory behind the polygraph is that lying: A. affects the brain activity patterns B. causes physiological arousal C. changes the coloration of the skin D. makes swallowing harder

B. causes physiological arousal

Fingerprint evidence is _______ for jurors to understand because, unlike DNA analysis information, testimony about the evidence does not involve ________. A. harder; probabilities B. easier; probabilities C. harder; multiple sources D. easier; multiple sources

B. easier; probabilities

A false positive means that a(n): A. expert declares there is no match when it actually matches B. expert declares a match when there is no match in reality C. judge declares a mistrial D. jury nullifies the expert's credentials

B. expert declares a match when there is no match in reality

Studies show that those police officers who have passed through interrogation training: A. have improved abilities to detect lies when questioning suspects B. feel more confident in their judgments of lie detection even when wrong C. exhibit superior skills in detecting the exhaustion bias D. correctly estimate their lie detection abilities

B. feel more confident in their judgments of lie detection even when wrong

According to the text, the most common response to traumatic experiences is not _____ but ______. A. forgetting; repression B. forgetting; flashbacks C. flashbacks; repression D. flashbacks; memory implantation

B. forgetting; flashbacks

All of the following problems lead to fingerprint evidence being imperfect and prone to error EXCEPT: A. latent prints are often smudged or partial B. if the number of matching ridge characteristics reaches 16, the two prints match C. there is no information on how common certain ridge characteristics are in the population D. each fingerprint examiner makes decisions based on his or her own perception of the fingerprints

B. if the number of matching ridge characteristics reaches 16, the two prints match

Cross-racial IDs are generally ______ accurate ________ same-race IDs. A. somewhat more;than B. less;than C. as; as D. a great deal more; than

B. less;than

Individuals often _____ the duration of a brief event, especially if it is a(n) _____________ event A. underestimate; stressful B. overestimate; stressful C. underestimate; interesting D. overestimate; interesting

B. overestimate; stressful

If a person is lying, the polygraph can pick up the following changes in his or her physiological functions EXCEPT: A. breathing B. perspiration C. heart rate D. brain waves

B. perspiration

In a study by Pinzzotto and Finkel (1990) that has compared the accuracy of profiles developed by trained profilers with those of students, it was found that ______ created more accurate profiles _______. A. students; across the board B. profilers; but for only sex offenders C. students; but only for murder cases D. profilers; in all cases

B. profilers; but for only sex offenders

According to the text, the analysis of bullet striations, tool marks, and bite marks for comparison identification is: A. scientifically sound and widely used in court B. scientifically unproven but routinely used in court C. well-established as reliable evidence but not used often in court D. scientifically weak and unreliable but should still be used in court

B. scientifically unproven but routinely used in court

In some cases, so-called memories of past abuse have surfaced as a result of the _________ of the alleged victim while under hypnosis or guided imagery. A. corroboration B. suggestibility C. fear D. frustration

B. suggestibility

According to the text, the term "gatekeeper" refers to: A. the sorting of various briefs for the purpose of finding relevant precedents B. the assessment of scientific validity of testimony before allowing it in trial C. establishing the tiers of fact D. securing the courtroom

B. the assessment of scientific validity of testimony before allowing it in trial

Research has shown that children ______ sometimes have difficulty distinguishing between imagined and real events A. under 2 B. under 5 C. over 8 D. over 12

B. under 5

The hypothesized difference between organized and disorganized killers: A. can lead to easy ID of a suspect B. were not confirmed in empirical studies C. earned the Nobel prize for the authors of the typology D. were extensively tested in field experiments

B. were not confirmed in empirical studies

Validity refers to: A. the consistency of a measure or observation B. whether the measure is actually measuring what it is supposed to measure C. a situation of low value D. the definition of the details of a match

B. whether the measure is actually measuring what it is supposed to measure

According to Skolnick's study, what was formed by police exposure to danger and authority? A. A community personality B. A depressive personality C. A working personality D. A police personality

C. A working personality

The following are valid reasons for police to prefer confessions to other types of evidence. Which one is NOT valid? A. Confessions make gathering other evidence less critical B. Juries almost always convict defendants who have confessed to committing a crime C. Confessions mean the person is guilty of the crime they confessed to committing D. Lengthy trials can be avoided because a confession is likely to lead to a plea deal

C. Confessions mean the person is guilty of the crime they confessed to committing

Which of these would NOT be an objective factor to consider when making a determination of whether a confession is voluntary? A. Police conduct B. Length of pre-trial detention C. Defendant state of mind D. Location of the confession

C. Defendant state of mind

Which would be an example of using positive punishment to coerce a confession? A. Offering the person a lighter sentence if they confess B. Threatening to take away their food if they refuse to confess C. Hitting them with a phone book if they refuse to confess D. Giving them a reward for confessing

C. Hitting them with a phone book if they refuse to confess

There are several conclusions that can be drawn from the research on implanting false memories. Which of the following conclusions is INCORRECT? A. The majority of people in the studies did not succumb to memory implantations B. Hypnosis and other therapeutic techniques facilitate the production of implanted memories C. If a person is 100% sure the memory is true, it is often a good indicator of a true memory D. People who strongly believe in the possibility of recovering a suppressed memory are more likely to "recover" false memories

C. If a person is 100% sure the memory is true, it is often a good indicator of a true memory

Juries are more likely to see a confession as voluntary if coerced using _________? A. Positive punishment B. Negative punishment C. Negative reinforcement D. Waterboarding

C. Negative reinforcement

Which of these statements is true based on Skolnick's study? A. Solidarity of police increased due to decreases use of readily available cues in threat assessment B. Increased distance between police and community was due to decreased interaction between police and community C. Police officers' perceived standing in the community was lower than the community's actual views D. All of the above

C. Police officers' perceived standing in the community was lower than the community's actual views

Which of these WAS NOT given as one of the sub-types of norms? A. Laws B. Folkways C. Taboos D. Mores

C. Taboos

Delia is a prosecutor working on a case where allegation of child sexual abuse perpetrated by a day care center worker have been made. The child's parents are very concerned and want Delia to investigate the allegations. When it comes to the use of child interviewing props, Delia's best course of action is to use anatomically detailed _______. Moreover, these props should be used _________. A. dolls; only after the child has made a disclosure of abuse B. dolls: as soon as possible C. body diagrams; only after the child has made a disclosure of abuse D. body diagrams; as soon as possible

C. body diagrams; only after the child has made a disclosure of abuse

A fingerprint examiners decision about a match may be influenced by whether he is told the suspect has confessed to the crime. This tendency to seek out information that supports ones bias is known as: A. expected outcome B. integration of thought C. confirmation bias D. attribution error

C. confirmation bias

One of the most important takes of the polygraph examiner using the standard procedures like CQT is to: A. complete lengthy preparations before the polygraph can be turned on B. fine-tune the polygraph readings to each suspect C. convince the examinee that the polygraph can always detect a lie D. conduct a debriefing after the procedure

C. convince the examinee that the polygraph can always detect a lie

Research by Gail Goodman and her colleagues (1998) examined the use of a closed-circuit television (CCTV) for child testimony. The results show that the use of CCTV _______ the emotional distress in children ___________ the accuracy of their testimony. A. increases: and jeopardizes B. increases; but doesn't reduce C. decreases; and improves D. decreases; but also reduces

C. decreases; and improves

The weapon focus effect means that the eyewitnesses' ability to remember the attacker is ________ if the attacker is holding a ___________. A. improved; gun or knife B. improved; gun rather than knife C. impaired; gun or knife D. impaired; gun rather than knife

C. impaired; gun or knife

When exposed to sexual abuse testimony given by children at trial, it appears that jurors are ________ to believe young children compared to adolescents A. less likely B. equally as likely C. more likely D. seldom apt

C. more likely

When comparing the latent prints with the suspects fingerprints, a ___________ makes a decision on whether there is a ____________. A. person; crime B. computer; match C. person; match D. computer; crime

C. person; match

The primary goal of psychological science is to: A. regulate human behavior B. demonstration how punishment works C. provide accurate explanations of human behavior D. study the effects on humans under various conditions

C. provide accurate explanations of human behavior

According to the text, an attempt to examine the mental state of an individual prior to his or her death is known as: A. the NASH system B. geographic autopsy C. psychological autopsy D. probative evidence

C. psychological autopsy

Roles that psychologists may play in the legal system include the following: A. gatekeepers B. parapsychologists C. reformers D. auxiliary judges

C. reformers

The process of having an eyewitness look at one person or photograph at a time is referred to as a ___________ lineup. A. simultaneous B. coinciding C. sequential D. consequential

C. sequential

Research has essentially discredited the idea at the heart of the profiling process: that ______ crimes are committed by _______ people. A. different; different B. different; similar C. similar; different D. similar; similar

C. similar; different

Liam is a 4 year old who is being questioned by his mom about his physical contact with a guest visitor to Liam's daycare center. Even though the visitor never touched Liam, the mother keeps asking which part of Liam's body the visitor touched first. Liam is likely to: A. keep denying that the physical contact has ever occurred B. stop talking altogether C. tell mom what she wants to hear even if he has to make it up D. tell mom the truth even if it hurts

C. tell mom what she wants to hear even if he has to make it up

The basis of the adversarial legal system is the belief that: A. the defense depends on eyewitness testimony only B. the truth always prevails C. truth will emerge as a result of contest between opposing sides D. the prosecution depends on the adverse nature of the case

C. truth will emerge as a result of contest between opposing sides

Ashley stopped at the bank to deposit her paycheck, and then stopped at a nearby gas station to pick up a few grocery items. While she was at the gas station, a robber entered with his gun drawn and ordered everybody, including Ashley, to raise their hands and move to the back wall. After the robber gathered all the money from the cash register and collected the customers' wallets, he left. Later, at the police station, Ashley has mistakenly given a description of the bank tellers' face when asked to describe the robber. This phenomenon is known as: A. retrieval inhibition B. retrieval disinhibition C. unconscious transference D. unconscious scripts

C. unconscious transference

After a long interrogation, an innocent suspect comes to believe he has committed a crime despite having no memory of doing so. his interrogators have told him that he must have either blacked out during the commission of a crime or repressed his memory because the experience was so traumatic. his subsequent confession would be classified as an. A: Instrumental coerced confession B: Instrumental voluntary confession C: Internalize coerced confession D: Internalized voluntary confession

C: Internalized coerced confession

Which of these is NOT a role in which a Forensic Psychologist would typically serve? A. Trial consultant for an attorney B. Clinical assessor of the client C. Expert witness for the defense D. Advisor to the trial judge

D. Advisor to the trial judge

Which of these is the reason police interrogations are conducted? A. Gain information about the crime B. Learn more about the suspect C. Get the suspect to confess D. All are reasons an interrogation is conducted

D. All are reasons an interrogation is conducted

In which of the following areas are forensic psychologists involved? A. Corrections (prisons, probation) B. Investigations C. Treatment settings D. All of the above

D. All of the above

In the study used by the supreme courts justices in Brown v Board of Education which of these instructions were asked of white children? A. Give me the doll that looks bad B. Give me the nice doll C. Give me the doll that looks like you D. None of these

D. None of these

The fundamental attribution error, or the tendency to attribute other people's behavior to dispositional traits rather than situational pressures, is evidence in the following pattern of thinking: A. Colin often lies but he was coerced to say the truth about what he saw and he did B. The weather was terrible and so the burglar decided not to use the fire escape C. Matthias was very tired and that is why he has quit the competition mid-way through D. The robber stumbled because he was clumsy and not because the road was slippery

D. The robber stumbled because he was clumsy and not because the road was slippery

During the trial, each side is trying to win the case. However, the goal of the legal system overall is to: A. achieve peace B. not be hampered by fairness C. obtain compensation for all parties D. achieve justice

D. achieve justice

Research has demonstrated that some techniques used in interviewing children in abuse cases are especially helpful. These techniques include all of the following EXCEPT: A. simplified instructions B. taking an oath to tell the truth C. explicit statements stipulating that the interviewer does not know what happened D. asking the same questions more than once

D. asking the same questions more than once

Psychology is the scientific study of _______________ and mental processes. A. motivation B. emotions C. thoughts D. behaviors

D. behaviors

When psychology and law are discussed as embodying different cultures, the following underlying cultural differences are viewed as most important: A. traits, opinions, and achievements B. language, cuisine, and music C. style, demeanor, and gestures D. behaviors, values, and beliefs

D. behaviors, values, and beliefs

A simple match statement by a forensic expert: A. uses statistical analysis B. applies probability categories C. defines specific features and their likelihood D. does not use statistical terms

D. does not use statistical terms

Lying is considered an adaptive behavior, from a(n) ______ point of view. A. pyschodynamic B. cognitive C. behavior D. evolutionary

D. evolutionary

Biometrics is the: A. study of facial features B. study of skull shapes C. identification of anomalies for the purpose of matching D. identification based on measurable anatomic traits

D. identification based on measurable anatomic traits

The following behavioral clues are a reliable indicator that the person is lying: A. crossing legs or arms B. averting gaze or avoiding eye contact C. fidgeting and stuttering D. none of the above reliably indicate lying

D. none of the above reliably indicate lying

The characteristics of serial killers seem to have _______ though there are _________ common to all serial killers. A. no similarities; a few traits B. some recurring patterns; only two characteristics C. a lot of similarities; only two characteristics D. some recurring patterns; no characteristic

D. some recurring patterns; no characteristic

Most serial killers are _____ males of _____ intelligence A. African American; above average B. African American; average C. white; above average D. white; average

D. white; average

Police interrogations result in a full confession how often? A. ~15% B. ~30% C. ~44% D. ~60%

D. ~60%

In real criminal cases that police investigate (unlike in fictional accounts), officers generally proceed through a series of stages that involve: A. Filling out/completing various forms (e.g., an application for a search warrant or an arrest warrant) B. Collecting information (e.g., physical evidence; witness accounts) C. Acting on the interpretation of the information collected (e.g., questioning one or more suspects) D. Making sense of the information collected (i.e., interpreting what the information actually means) E. All of the above

E. All of the above