Psychology and Jurisprudence across the Curriculum
Document Type
Book Chapter
Publication Date
5-17-2025
Abstract
Psychology and law, by their nature, are deeply entwined. Both are about human behavior – understanding it, modifying it, regulating it. Psychology’s research engagement with legal topics enjoys a long history, but until recently has been largely limited to clinical assessment (e.g., capacity, insanity) and police and trial evidence and procedures (e.g., eyewitnesses, jury instructions). The traditional canon of “Psychology & Law” research gained prominence when DNA evidence revealed that many wrongful convictions involved problems foreseen by psychologists. Also, the emergence of “Behavioral Law & Economics” likely provided more legitimacy to law’s engagement with empirical psychology topics and methods, spurring “Law & Psychology” teaching and research in law schools. The expanded range of research can be found across the US law curriculum as illustrated in four main first-year courses – Criminal Law, Torts, Contracts, and Property – and two commonly taken or required courses – Evidence and Professional Responsibility. The current experimental jurisprudence boom has added to the topics and methods used in this research and amplifies the existing trend in which psychology engages more closely with the content and values of law.
Publication Title
The Cambridge Handbook of Experimental Jurisprudence
Repository Citation
Wilkinson-Ryan, Tess; Spellman, Barbara A.; Robbennolt, Jennifer K.; and Nadler, Janice, "Psychology and Jurisprudence across the Curriculum" (2025). Book Chapters. 490.
https://scholarship.law.upenn.edu/faculty_chapters/490
https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009170901.003
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009170901.003