Donald N. Bersoff

Training in Law and Psychology: Models from the Villanova Conference

Although the domain of law and psychology is a burgeoning and popular field of study, there has never been a concerted effort to evaluate current training models or to develop newer, more effective ones. Forty-eight invited participants attended a national conference held at Villanova Law School to remedy this deficiency. Working groups addressed issues of education and training for the undergraduate level; for doctoral-level programs in law and social science; for forensic clinical training; for joint-degree (JD/PhD-PsyD) programs; for those in practica, internships, and postdoctoral programs; and for continuing education. This article delineates levels and models of training in each of these areas.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN PSYCHOLOGY AND LAW/CRIMINAL JUSTICE: Historical Foundations, Present Structures, and Future Developments

Although psychology had a brief—and rather dramatic—foray into the legal system early in this century, it was only after World War II that psychology started to systematically permeate the legal system. Building on the interest psychologists and other social scientists had on the law, education and training in the areas of psychology and law/criminal justice has undergone considerable growth and development over the past two decades. The authors discuss the early developments and current models of this education and training. Implications of the increased interest and training in psychology and law/criminal justice, and directions for future developments in these areas, also are explored.

The Relation Between Ethical Codes and Moral Principles

We describe the application of fundamental moral principles, with particular emphasis on prima facie duties, to formal codes of ethics that regulate the conduct of forensic psychologists who act as...

Psychologists and the judicial system

This article traces the rise, fall, and current ambivalence in the use of social science data and psychological experts by the legal system. Several reasons are discussed for the less than perfect “marriage” between psychology and the law: normative philosophy of constitutional adjudication; overriding principles of the rules of evidence; irrelevancy to the courts of much of social science research; seduction of psychologists by attorneys who persuade experts to testify as advocates for a particular position rather than as objective scientists. These problems are placed in legal and ethical frame-work and suggestions for remediation of these problems are offered.

The Virtue of Principle Ethics

I raise four issues that militate against adopting virtue ethics as a guiding concept: (a) In the resolution of most ethics cases, virtue ethics is irrelevant; (b) there is substantial redundancy between virtue and principle ethics; (c) acting and deciding are unavoidable tasks for which principle ethics is particularly suitable; and (d) the emphasis on character and community wisdom increases the possibility of idiosyncratic and unsound decision making.

Short forms of individual intelligence tests for children: Review and critique

Abstract The composition of abbreviated forms of the Stanford-Binet, WISC, WPPSI (and briefly the WAIS) are described. Methodological problems in constructing, validating, and using short forms are presented and evaluated. Short forms are seen as practical and some judged to be valid for certain populations in predicting full scale intelligence. However, traditional methods of devising short forms are generally judged to be inadequate. Multiple correlation techniques which retain only certain subtests drastically reduce the flavor of the full scale, and arbitrary or random deletion of items from whole scales or subtests does not guarantee retention of the most predictive tasks. Statistically grounded item analysis is offered as a meaningful model to future researchers who seek to construct shortened individual intelligence tests. However, the question of whether the expense in research time is worthwhile in this regard is posed and answered in the negative. Alternate suggestions for evaluation of intelligence that may increase both validity and information per unit of assessment time are given.

What Constitutes a Scientific Review? A Majority Retort to Barrett and Morris

Barrett and Morris attack the American Psychological Associationamicus brief inPrice Waterhouse vs. Hopkins as failing to adhere to the values of science in three respects. First they claim that the amicus used theories in convenient but logically inconsistent ways. A straightforward reading of the theories indicates that Barrett and Morris simply confuse the descriptive (e.g., “women typically are incompetent”) and prescriptive (e.g. “women should be nice”) aspects of gender stereotypes. Second, Barrett and Morris claim that APA used facts disputed by the employer, thereby biasing the brief. However, these facts were accepted at all levels of the court system, thereby establishing them as “fact” for the record, to which the Supreme Court and the APA were then bound. Third, Barrett and Morris claim the amicus literature review was biased. Yet, rather than support that claim with a full review, they present highly selected results that are biased, incomplete, misleading, and inaccurate. Moreover, independent, quantitative reviews undertaken since the brief support its central arguments and dispute the Barrett-Morris interpretations. In short, none of their arguments are supported.I.Empirical research on sex stereotyping has been conducted over many decades and is generally accepted in the scientific community.II.Stereotyping under certain conditions can create discriminatory consequences for stereotyped groups, including women.A.Stereotypes about women shape perceptions about woments typical and acceptable roles in society.B.Sex stereotypes have demonstrably negative effects on women in work settings.III.The conditions that promote stereotyping were present in the petittioners work setting.IV.Although petitioner was found to have taken no effective steps to prevent its discriminatory stereotyping of respondent, methods are available to monitor and reduce the effects of stereotyping. (American Psychological Association, 1991)

Effectiveness of Special Class Placement for Children Labeled Neurologically Handicapped.

Abstract Children who had been labeled neurologically handicapped (NH) subsequent to psychological and medical evaluation were exposed to one of three treatments: (1) placement in a self-contained classroom for NH children, (2) retention in a regular class with additional help from tutors 3 to 5 hours a week, (3) retention in a regular class with no extra help. Effects on academic achievement and visual-motor functioning were compared after approximately 18 months under the experimental conditions; no significant differences among the three groups were found. The design of the study is criticized with the aim of aiding future investigators. The consequences of labeling and segregating of children called NH where there is little genuine evidence ofsuch dysfunction and little support for effectiveness of such a procedure is discussed.

Some Contrarian Concerns About Law, Psychology, and Public Policy

I discuss six issues that may cut against the majoritarian grain. They are: (1) The U. S. Supreme Courts view of children; (2) the American Psychological Associations view of people with mental retardation; (3) the dilution of autonomy in favor of beneficence; (4) Tarasoffs undermining of fidelity to therapy clients; (5) the misuse of the PCL-R in death penalty litigation; and (6) the criminal laws rejection of determination.

Rorschach Correlates of Traumatic Neurosis of War

Summary Only two cases out of a total population of 1500 military men evacuated from a war zone with psychiatric diagnoses were found to be suffering from traumatic neurosis. The Rorschach protocols of these two cases are presented and discussed within Kardiners theoretical framework. Despite diverse social, educational, and occupational backgrounds these two Ss produced markedly similar protocols illustrating how in traumatic neurosis projective stimuli may serve as releasors for the abreactive repetition of the trauma as seen in highly charged responses which are affect-laden, violent, phobic and sometimes psychotic-like in nature.