Psychology for Lawyers

This seminar will address various psychological phenomena and bodies of psychological research relevant to the practice of law. The psychology touches on issues in cognitive and social psychology such as memory, reasoning, persuasion, and decision making -- but not issues in clinical psychology or mental health. Practical applications will include: interviewing clients and witnesses; detecting lies and faulty memories; valuing claims; negotiation tactics for settlements and plea bargains; and making complex information (e.g., scientific or expert evidence) comprehensible to non-experts such as judges and juries.