Q.1 What does forensic psychology primarily focus on?
Studying animal behavior in legal contexts
Applying psychological principles to legal issues
Teaching law students psychology
Analyzing financial crimes only
Explanation - Forensic psychology involves using psychology to understand legal matters, including criminal behavior, witness credibility, and jury decision-making.
Correct answer is: Applying psychological principles to legal issues
Q.2 Which psychological concept is often assessed to determine a defendant's competency to stand trial?
Emotional intelligence
Cognitive bias
Mental fitness and understanding of trial proceedings
Memory span
Explanation - Competency to stand trial assesses whether a defendant understands the charges and can participate in their defense.
Correct answer is: Mental fitness and understanding of trial proceedings
Q.3 The term 'eyewitness testimony' in psychology and law refers to:
A legal document signed by witnesses
Statements made by witnesses recalling events
A method for training law enforcement
A psychological therapy for criminals
Explanation - Eyewitness testimony is when witnesses describe what they saw during an incident, which is critical but sometimes unreliable.
Correct answer is: Statements made by witnesses recalling events
Q.4 Which psychological phenomenon can lead to false memories in a legal context?
Suggestibility
Motivation
Conscientiousness
Resilience
Explanation - Suggestibility occurs when individuals incorporate misleading information into their memory, potentially affecting eyewitness accounts.
Correct answer is: Suggestibility
Q.5 What is the main purpose of criminal profiling?
To predict the weather during crimes
To understand a criminal's personality and predict behavior
To evaluate a lawyer's courtroom strategies
To write novels based on crimes
Explanation - Criminal profiling uses behavioral and psychological analysis to infer traits of unknown offenders and assist investigations.
Correct answer is: To understand a criminal's personality and predict behavior
Q.6 Which psychological test is commonly used in forensic assessments?
Rorschach Inkblot Test
Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
SAT
Explanation - The Rorschach Inkblot Test helps psychologists evaluate personality structure and emotional functioning, sometimes used in forensic contexts.
Correct answer is: Rorschach Inkblot Test
Q.7 The insanity defense in law relies on which psychological concept?
Cognitive impairment affecting legal responsibility
Physical injury to the brain
Financial instability
Moral judgment only
Explanation - The insanity defense argues that a defendant was unable to understand the nature or wrongfulness of their actions due to mental illness.
Correct answer is: Cognitive impairment affecting legal responsibility
Q.8 Which factor can influence jury decision-making according to psychology?
Color of courtroom walls
Witness attractiveness and credibility
Time of year
Lawyer's height
Explanation - Psychological research shows jurors can be influenced by perceived credibility and attractiveness, impacting verdicts.
Correct answer is: Witness attractiveness and credibility
Q.9 Which term describes a psychological evaluation to predict the risk of reoffending?
Recidivism assessment
IQ testing
Emotional intelligence evaluation
Lie detection
Explanation - Recidivism assessments use psychological tools to evaluate the likelihood that an offender may commit future crimes.
Correct answer is: Recidivism assessment
Q.10 What is the role of a forensic psychologist in child custody cases?
Drafting legal documents
Assessing parental and child psychological well-being
Making final custody decisions
Setting visitation schedules
Explanation - Forensic psychologists evaluate family dynamics and mental health to provide recommendations for custody arrangements.
Correct answer is: Assessing parental and child psychological well-being
Q.11 The term 'eyewitness misidentification' refers to:
A witness providing accurate details
A witness incorrectly identifying a suspect
Police recording evidence
Forensic analysis of fingerprints
Explanation - Eyewitness misidentification is a major cause of wrongful convictions, often due to stress, memory errors, or suggestive procedures.
Correct answer is: A witness incorrectly identifying a suspect
Q.12 Which psychological factor can contribute to false confessions?
Coercion, stress, and suggestive questioning
High intelligence
Strong alibi
Prior convictions
Explanation - Psychological pressure during interrogations can lead innocent individuals to confess falsely.
Correct answer is: Coercion, stress, and suggestive questioning
Q.13 Which concept describes the influence of group behavior on individual jury members?
Social conformity
Individualism
Recidivism
Cognitive dissonance
Explanation - Jurors may change opinions to align with the majority due to social conformity pressures.
Correct answer is: Social conformity
Q.14 Which psychological theory explains why some offenders repeatedly commit crimes?
Behavioral reinforcement
Attachment theory
Social learning theory
Maslow's hierarchy
Explanation - Social learning theory suggests individuals may imitate criminal behavior observed in others, leading to repeated offenses.
Correct answer is: Social learning theory
Q.15 What does the term 'psychopathy' typically describe in forensic psychology?
A type of memory disorder
A personality disorder with lack of empathy and antisocial behavior
A physical disease
An intelligence deficiency
Explanation - Psychopathy is characterized by antisocial traits, manipulativeness, and emotional deficits, often relevant in criminal profiling.
Correct answer is: A personality disorder with lack of empathy and antisocial behavior
Q.16 Which method can reduce errors in eyewitness identification?
Double-blind lineups
Leading questions
Stressful questioning
Rapid-fire interrogations
Explanation - Double-blind procedures prevent bias by ensuring neither the witness nor the administrator knows the suspect, reducing misidentification.
Correct answer is: Double-blind lineups
Q.17 Which branch of psychology focuses on understanding the mind of criminals and lawbreakers?
Developmental psychology
Clinical psychology
Forensic psychology
Industrial psychology
Explanation - Forensic psychology specifically studies criminal behavior, legal processes, and psychological assessments related to the law.
Correct answer is: Forensic psychology
Q.18 What is the purpose of a competency evaluation in criminal law?
To determine if the defendant can understand and participate in their trial
To determine guilt or innocence
To assign punishment
To evaluate mental health for therapy only
Explanation - Competency evaluations assess the defendant's ability to comprehend legal proceedings and communicate effectively with their lawyer.
Correct answer is: To determine if the defendant can understand and participate in their trial
Q.19 Which term refers to the tendency to remember emotionally charged events more vividly?
Emotional memory enhancement
Working memory
Procedural memory
Cognitive dissonance
Explanation - Emotional memory enhancement explains why traumatic or highly emotional events are often recalled more vividly, affecting eyewitness accounts.
Correct answer is: Emotional memory enhancement
Q.20 Which psychological factor is often studied to understand jury decision-making?
Prejudices and biases
Height of jurors
Favorite color
Handwriting style
Explanation - Juror biases, stereotypes, and pre-existing attitudes can heavily influence trial outcomes.
Correct answer is: Prejudices and biases
Q.21 What is the main focus of risk assessment in forensic psychology?
Predicting future dangerous behavior
Evaluating intelligence
Assessing memory accuracy
Studying sleep patterns
Explanation - Risk assessments estimate the likelihood of reoffending or violent behavior to inform legal decisions like sentencing or parole.
Correct answer is: Predicting future dangerous behavior
Q.22 Which of the following can bias a police interrogation?
Confirmation bias
Proper evidence handling
Open-ended questioning
Neutral procedures
Explanation - Confirmation bias can lead investigators to focus on evidence that supports their preconceptions, sometimes causing wrongful convictions.
Correct answer is: Confirmation bias
Q.23 What does the term 'juvenile delinquency' refer to in law and psychology?
Criminal behavior committed by individuals under 18
Crimes committed only in schools
Misdemeanors by adults
Traffic violations only
Explanation - Juvenile delinquency studies young offenders' behavior, legal treatment, and psychological factors contributing to crime.
Correct answer is: Criminal behavior committed by individuals under 18
Q.24 Which psychological approach is used to understand eyewitness memory errors?
Cognitive psychology
Behavioral psychology
Humanistic psychology
Industrial psychology
Explanation - Cognitive psychology studies perception, memory, and decision-making, helping explain why eyewitnesses may misremember details.
Correct answer is: Cognitive psychology
Q.25 Which concept describes a mental disorder severe enough to affect legal responsibility?
Insanity
Neuroticism
Introversion
Stress
Explanation - Insanity in legal terms refers to a mental condition preventing understanding of the wrongfulness of actions, relevant for the insanity defense.
Correct answer is: Insanity