When was forensic psychology founded

This rigorous methodology provided the framework for a whole host of applied psychological investigations, among them certain legal issues. For instance, in the 's James McKeen Cattell conducted a series of experiments into the nature of testimony and in doing so highlighted the effects of situational and individual differences; which incidentally are still being examined today.

Not only did he boast a great name, dashing monocle and outrageous moustache but he was also a passionate advocate of forensic psychology. An engaging and controversial figure Munsterberg was a key figure in the history of forensic psychology. He studied under Wundt at Leipzg before moving to the USA in to set up an experimental laboratory at Harvard; the principal aim of which was to introduce applied psychology into the courtroom.

The lawyer and the judge and the juryman are sure that they do not need the experimental psychologist. They go on thinking that their legal instinct and their common sense supplies them with all that is needed and somewhat more; and if the time is ever to come when even the jurist is to show some concession to the spirit of modern psychology, public opinion will have to exert some pressure.

Just in the line of the law it therefore seems necessary not to rely simply on the technical statements of scholarly treatises, but to carry the discussion in the most popular form possible before the wider tribunal of the general reader.

With this aim in mind while working at a treatise on "Applied Psychology," which is to cover the whole ground with technical detail I have written the following popular sketches, which select only a few problems in which psychology and law come in contact. They deal essentially with the mind of the witness on the witness stand; only the last, on the prevention of crime, takes another direction.

I have not touched so far the psychology of the attorney, of the judge, or of the jury problems which lend themselves to very interesting experimental treatment. Even the psychology of the witness is treated in no way exhaustively; my only purpose is to turn the attention of serious men to an absurdly neglected field which demands the full attention of the social community. University of California professor Craig Haney suggested three, primary ways in which psychology and the law can relate to each other:.

Psychology in the law takes a body of psychological knowledge and applies it to the legal system. The applied field of forensic psychology offers a number of opportunities for the practitioner, all of which stem from the psychological assessment. As such, forensic psychologists may work in many different legal environments, writing reports, giving testimony, providing direct treatment, or working with therapeutic communities.

According to the American Psychological Association APA , forensic psychologists must possess specialized knowledge in three areas:. Forensic psychologists must also possess the ability to address psychological problems and questions that relate to the course of legal proceedings, which are often part of even larger legal problems and questions addressed by the courts.

Legal proceedings addressed by forensic psychologists include:. The APA also recognizes that forensic psychologists provide their services to two, distinct populations:.

Psychology and the law views psychology as a discipline that is separate from the law. It involves examining and analyzing various components of the law and the legal system from a psychological perspective. Forensic psychologists in this area may work for universities, colleges, government agencies, or in other settings where they research and examine the relationship between criminology, human behavior, and the legal system. Forensic psychologists working in research or academic settings often choose to focus their research on a topic related to psychology and the law, such as:.

Psychology of the law involves the use of psychology to study the law itself. This discovery would later lead to the design of the modern polygraph detector. Marston testified in in the case of Frye v. This case is significant because it established the precedent for the use of expert witnesses in courts.

In the case of People v. Hawthorne, the courts ruled that the standard for expert witnesses depended on how much the witness knew about a subject, not whether the person had a medical degree. In the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education, several psychologists testified for the plaintiffs and the defendants. Later, the courts gave support to psychologists serving as mental illness experts in the case of Jenkins v.

Forensic psychology was officially recognized as a specialization within psychology by the American Psychological Association in Forensic psychology has continued to grow and evolve during the past three decades. Increasing numbers of graduate programs offer dual degrees in psychology and law, while others offer specialized degrees emphasizing forensic psychology.

Ever wonder what your personality type means? Sign up to find out more in our Healthy Mind newsletter. Titchener EB. Wilhelm Wundt. American Journal of Psychology. Cattell JM. Measurements of the accuracy of recollection. Michell J. Alfred Binet and the concept of heterogeneous orders. Front Psychol. Stern W. The psychology of testimony. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology.

Crawford MA. History of forensic psychology. Walden University; On the witness stand: Essays in psychology and crime. Cassingham CC. A trial of mental and pedagogical tests in a civil service examination for policemen and firemen.