Forensic Psychology is one of the units in OCR A2 Psychology Unit G543.

Ideographic Approach – Psychologists who employ this approach study the factors which make criminals different.

Nomothetic Approach – Psychologists who employ this approach study group behaviours and surmise general rules about such behaviour.

In the Forensic Psychology Unit of the course we consider how criminals become criminals from a variety of perspectives. We consider if criminals have something biologically faulty, or if they think differently to non-offenders.

In the making a case section of the Forensic Psychology we consider how the legal system can best build a case against an offender. We consider how the Police can best interview witnesses to ensure they gain the most accurate data from eyewitnesses and how they can best interview suspects. In some cases Police interview techniques can lead to false confessions, we study one such example and consider how we can best avoid this from happening in future cases.

In the reaching a verdict section of the course: we turn our attention to the courtroom and how juries reach their decision and what could possible have confounding effects upon their verdicts, for example how does the majority in the group affect the minority? Can the minority affect the majority? If so how? Is this a positive factor?

Ensure that you learn all the sections and subsections for each study, because this will be one of the most important factors in your exam. Make sure that you start your revision early and be consistent with it. If you have to spend some time working out a system and a plan of for your revision do it, you will thank yourself down the road.

It is highly recommended that you buy the revision guide to help you with your learning process: OCR A2 Psychology Student Unit Guide New Edition: Unit G543 Forensic Psychology

Forensic Psychology:

Turning to crime:

Upbringing:

1. Farrington et al (1994)
2. Sutherland (1947)
3. Wikström and Tajel (2003)

Cognition:

1. Yochelson and Samenow (1976)
2. Kohlberg (1981)
3. Gudjonsson and Bownes (2002)

Biology:

1. Raine et al (2002)
2. Brunner et al (1993)
3. Daly and Wilson (2001)

Making a case:

Interviewing Witnesses:

1. Frowd et al (2007)
2. Loftus et al (1987)
3. Fisher et al (1989)

Interviewing Suspects:

1. Inbau et al (1986)
2. Mann et al (2004)
3. Gudjonsson and Mackeith (1990)

Creating a Profile:

1. Hazelwood and Douglas (1980)
2. Canter et al (2004)
3. Canter and Heritage (1990)
4. Canter – John Duffy

Reaching a Verdict:

Persuading a Jury:

1. Pennington and Hastie (1988)
2. Cutler and Penrod (1989)
3. Pickel (1995)

Witness Appeal:

1. Castellow (1990)
2. Penrod and Cutler (1995)
3. Ross et al (1994)

Reaching a Verdict:

1. Hastie et al (1983)
2. Asch (1955)
3. Nemeth and Wachtler (1974)

After a Verdict:

Imprisonment:

1. Gillis and Nafekh (2005)

Download all the audio recordings of the studies here!