Forensic Psychology History

2. HISTORY OF FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY
Tanu P. Chandel
Volunteer of Applied Forensic Research
Sciences

3. CONTENTS
• Introduction to Forensic Psychology
• Early Research
• Forensic Psychology in The Court
• Benchmarks Leading to Recent Progress in Forensic Psychology
• Difference Between Forensic Psychology and Criminal Psychology
• Conclusion
• MCQs
• References

4. INTRODUCTION TO FORENSIC
PSYCHOLOGY
• It involves the psychological assessment of
those involved in the legal system.
• It involves application of theories, methods and
sciences of psychology to the legal system.
• The police officers, victim, suspect, convict,
jury, expert witness, lawyer, judge, defendant,
prison guard, prison officer. The impact of all
this people on the legal system is studied under
forensic psychology.

5. EARLY REASEARCH
• The Father of Psychology, Wilhelm Wundt in the year
1897 founded his first lab for the research in this field in
Germany.
• James McKeen Cattell, 1893, conducted research on the
pyschology of testimony. He posed a set of questionaire to
the students of Columbia University, asking to mark the
responses and their rate of confidence behind their
answers. There was great inaccuracy.
Father of psychology
Wilhelm Wundt

6. EARLY RESEARCH
• Alfred Binet, a French psychologist best-remembered for
developing the first widely used intelligence test. As this test
was became useful for many future assessment tools.
• William Stern, 1903, also studied witnesses' ability to
recall information. The result obtained was that even the
eye witnesses were not sure of their statement which
pointed at the usefulness of the eye witness in the court
of law.
William Stern

7. FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY IN THE COURTS
• In 1896, a psychologist by the name of Albert
von Schrenck-Notzing testified at a murder trial
about the effects of suggestibility on witness
testimony.
• In 1908, Hugo Munsterberg published “On the
Witness Stand,” a book advocating the use of
psychology in legal matters.
• In 1909, Clinic for juvenile offenders established
by psychologist Grace M. Fernald and
psychiatrist William Healy. Hugo Münsterberg

8. • In 1911, J. Varendonck becomes one of the earliest
psychologists to testify in a criminal trial, held in Belgium.
• In 1917, Louis Terman becomes the first American
psychologist to use psychological tests in the screening of law
enforcement personnel.
• In 1917, psychologist William Marston found that systolic
blood pressure had a strong correlation to lying. This
discovery would later lead to the design of the modern
polygraph detector.
FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY IN THE COURTS
William Marston

9. BENCH MARKS LEADING TO RECENT
PROGRESS IN FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY
• 1924—Wisconsin becomes the first state to provide
comprehensive psychological examinations of all
admissions to its prison system and all applications for
parole.
• 1931—Howard Burtt’s Legal Psychology is
published—the first textbook in the forensic area
written by a psychologist.
• 1991—The American Academy of Forensic
Psychology and American Psychology-Law Society
publishes “Specialty Guidelines for Forensic
Psychologists.”

10. BENCH MARKS LEADING TO RECENT PROGRESS
IN FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY
• 2001—The American Psychological Association
recognizes forensic psychology as a specialty.
• 2008—The American Psychological Association
recertifies forensic psychology as a specialty.
• 2013—The Specialty Guidelines for Forensic
Psychology are published. Forensic psychology is
described as “professional practice by any
psychologist working within any subdiscipline of
of psychology when applying the scientific,
technical, or specialized knowledge of psychology to
psychology to the law to assist in addressing legal,
legal, contractual, and administrative matters.”
matters.”

11. DIFFERENCE BETWEENCRIMINAL PSYCHOLOGY
ANDFORENSICPSYCHOLOGY
FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY
Forensic psychologists
specialize in the aftermath of a
crime, including evaluating a
suspect's mental state or
counseling victims and their
families.
CRIMINAL PSYCHOLOGY
Criminal psychologists focus
primarily on determining a
motive and creating a profile of
the perpetrator.

12. CONCLUSION
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.

13. MCQS
When was forensic psychology recertified as a
speciality by American Psychological
Association ?
A) 2001
B) 1991
C) 2008
D) 1897

14. REFERENCES:-
• https://149557239.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/forensic-psychology-myths.jpg
• https://compneuropsyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/court-768x512.jpg
• https://www.saintleo.edu/hs-fs/hub/206683/file-531542197-jpg/images/forensic_psychologya.jpg
• https://images.slideplayer.com/21/6276393/slides/slide_11.jpg
• https://www.centreofexcellence.com/media/image/6e/cb/6dbbedb784b640ed808043f6e73b.jpeg
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Moulton_Marston#/media/File%3AWilliam_Moulton_Marston_1
938.jpg
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Photo_of_Hugo_M%C3%BCnsterberg.jpg
• https://www.all-about-forensic-psychology.com/images/history-of-forensic-psychology-Wilhelm-
Wundt.jpg
• https://psychologyeducator.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/forensic-psychology-gordon.jpg?w=600&h=340
• www.jjay.cuny.edu
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Stern_(psychologist)

15. THANK YOU!!!