BAPSY Intersection of Psychology and Legal System 5

Question 1

Drug courts are an example of which legal concept that uses psychological principles to promote rehabilitation over punishment?

Accepted Answer

Problem-solving courts

Answer

Problem-solving courts like drug courts apply behavioral and psychological science to address the root causes of criminal behavior and reduce recidivism.

Question 2

Which concept from social psychology best explains why people on a jury may make harsher judgments about a defendant who is physically unattractive?

Accepted Answer

Physical attractiveness stereotype

Answer

The physical attractiveness stereotype (halo effect) leads people to attribute more negative traits to unattractive individuals, influencing legal judgments.

Question 3

A psychologist conducting a civil commitment evaluation must determine that the person poses:

Accepted Answer

A serious and imminent danger to self or others due to mental illness

Answer

Civil commitment requires that mental illness causes a person to be a danger to themselves or others or unable to care for themselves, meeting a legally defined threshold.

Question 4

Which bias occurs when a forensic evaluator's findings are unconsciously shaped by which side retained them for the evaluation?

Accepted Answer

Allegiance effect (adversarial bias)

Answer

The allegiance effect or adversarial bias refers to evaluators producing findings that favor the party that hired them, even unconsciously.

Question 5

In a mock jury study, participants who deliberated to a unanimous verdict were more likely to demonstrate which effect compared to non-deliberating individuals?

Accepted Answer

Group polarization of pre-deliberation views

Answer

Group polarization in jury deliberation tends to push the group's final verdict in the direction of the members' dominant pre-deliberation inclinations.

BAPSY - Bachelor of Arts in Psychology Practice Test

BAPSY - Bachelor of Arts in Psychology Practice Test

BAPSY Intersection of Psychology and Legal System 5