Important notice
The course guide is provisional.
The PDF version of the course guide may take a few days to become available in the DDD.
Psychological Foundations of Forensic Psychology
Code: 44451Credits: 12
| Degree programme | Type | Course |
|---|---|---|
| Legal and Forensic Psychology | OB | 0 |
Contact lecturer
- Name :
- Elena Garrido Gaitán
- Email :
- elena.garrido@uab.cat
Teaching staff
- María Carmen Navarro Villanueva
- Jenny Cubells Serra
- Sergio Mora Montserrat
- Monica Balltondre Pla
- Elena Garrido Gaitán
- Maria Jose Rodriguez Puerta
Teaching staff (external to UAB)
- José Antonio Becerra
- Maria Inés Lovelle Iglesias
- Àngel Cuquerella
Group languages
You can consult this information at the end of the document.
Prerequisites
No requirements.
Objectives
This module aims to develop the Legal and Procedural common basis of the field in which the professional role is going to be performed, eminently in the legal field. Likewise, essential tools will be provided for the understanding of the profession such as the structuring of the report, ethical aspects, structuring the expert process, as well as the important distinction between Legal and Forensic Psychology, initiating the bases in this module of both areas of knowledge that will be developed in the following modules.
Thus, it is intended to:
- Know the bases and differences between Forensic and Legal Psychology, as well as their different areas of work
- Provide the necessary knowledge related to the judicial processes in which they intervene as a forensic or legal psychologist.
- Strengthen the ethical, historical, documentary search and basic research foundations for Forensic and Legal Psychology.
- Know the language and processes of disciplines related to forensic work (police, forensics, court processes).
Learning outcomes
- Knowledge and understanding that provide a basis or opportunity for originality in developing and / or applying ideas, often in a research context.
- Students can communicate their conclusions and the knowledge and rationale underpinning these to specialist and non-specialist audiences clearly and unambiguously.
- That students have the learning skills that enable them to continue studying in a way that will be largely self-directed or autonomous.
- Identify the psychological concepts that are relevant in the field of legal and forensic psychology.
- Select the appropriate techniques for the preparation of judicial reports.
- Select and administer the appropriate instruments for forensic psychological assessment.
- Know and know how to interpret the different legal regulations that are used in the forensic practice of psychology.
- Organise and plan activities in order to achieve professional goals.
- Work cooperatively, in complex or uncertain environments and with limited resources, in a multidisciplinary context, recognising and adjusting to the roles played by the different professionals.
Contents
This module is structured in the following contents:
- Historical development in the legal and forensic field. Beginnings and development of Forensic Psychology.
- Legal and ethical basis. Ethical principles. Ethics applied to forensic practice. Mal Praxis and ethical protocols for intervention.
- Role of the expert. Types of forensic roles. Training to act as an expert.
- Psychological expert process. General procedure. Application areas. The report, the testimony.
- Basis of Legal Psychology.
- Psychological expertise within the legal process. General aspects of psychological expert evidence. Principles of criminal, civil, family, labor and canonical procedures.
- Forensic evidence: judicial police information. Functions of the judicial police. The scientific police.
- Forensic evidence: medical-forensic information. Fields of forensic medicine.
Learning activities and methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autonomous work | 220 | 8.8 | 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9 |
| Tutorials | 20 | 0.8 | 2, 8 |
| Master classes and practical sessions | 60 | 2.4 | 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
This module is of a professional nature, which involves masterful teaching by experts in their subjects. Thus, a methodology is proposed in which different contents will be developed in each session, taught by the different specialists. In the course of the sessions, there will be activities that might be assessed as stated in the assessment section. Methodologically, these activities will consist of case resolution, participation in debates and/or exams ans tests, etc. Finally, students will have to do autonomous course work to pass the subject.
Assessment
Continuous assessment activities
| Title | Weight | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Theoretical tests (exams) | 40% | 0 | 0 | 1, 3, 4, 7, 9 |
| Practical tests and reports | 30% | 0 | 0 | 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 |
| Written work and reports | 30 | 0 | 0 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 |
The approach that we propose, aims to gather different scores on participation in the subject that allows to the continuous and definitive assessment. A continuous assessment will be carried out, measured through three different evidences. The final grade for the module 1 is planned between 0 and 10 point. It will be considered that a student has passed the subject if, in the weighted average of the different evidences, they obtain a score equal to or greater than 5, being the minimum grade for each piece of evidence a score of 4 for weighting purposes.
a) THEORETICAL EXAM (40% OF THE FINAL MARK). There will be a multiple choice exam on the content of the module. Students will receive in two weeks the list of the results and correct answers of the test.
b) PRACTICAL EXAM (30% OF THE FINAL MARK). A case resolution exam will be carried out on the content of the module; it’s an individual essay based on short questions. Students will receive in two weeks the list of the results and correct answers of the test.
c) WORKS AND REPORTS (30% OF THE FINAL MARK). During the course of the Module, the delivery of a work will be requested, which may consist of an expert report, a follow-up report or a practical case analysis. Specific information on the case and/or type of report will be provided at the beginning of the semester via Moodle. It has to be delivered on-line (Moodle Campus) and has to be performed by two students. Students will receive in two weeks the list of the proper answers expected in that report.
In the event of failing any of the 3 tests (not in cases of unattendance), the grade for each failed test can be resit (independently and with an evaluation test that will follow the same evaluative format as the failed test). In case of resit, the maximum grade achievable for each evidence will be 7.
STUDENTS WITHOUT ASSESSMENT
Students who do not deliver/perform two or three of the proposed evidences are considered non-assessable. Thus, in case of not doing any, or in case of doing only one (passed or not), they will be considered non-evaluable.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS OF THE EVALUATION
• In the event that during an exam the presence of a student cheating is detected, they will automatically fail the test without the possibility of accessing the resit. In case of plagiarism in the writing of works, the option of direct suspense will be considered.
• Students who do NOT present all the evidence of the Module will NOT pass (fail) the subject
• In this subject, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is not allowed in none of its phases. Any work that includes fragments generated with AI will be considered an academic dishonesty and may involve a partial or total penalty in the grade of the activity.
• Once the subject has been passed (grade ≥ 5) systems cannot be established to improve the final grade.
• For more information, you have the Guide to the Assessment Guidelines of the Faculty of Psychology https://www.uab.cat/web/estudiar/graus/graus/avaluacions-1345722525858.html
UNIQUE ASSESSMENT
The Unique assessment must be approved by academic management and communicated to the subject coordinator. The three evaluation evidences will be carried out/delivered in the same period of time.
a) THEORETICAL EXAM (40% OF THE FINAL MARK). There will be a multiple choice exam on the content of the module.
b) PRACTICAL EXAM (30% OF THE FINAL MARK). A case resolution exam will be carried out on the content of the module.
c) WORKS AND REPORTS (30% OF THE FINAL MARK). During the course of the Module, the delivery of a work will be requested, which may consist of an expert report, a follow-up report or a practical case analysis. Specific information on the case and/or type of report will be provided at the beginning of the semester via Moodle.
In the event of failing any of the 3 tests, the grade for each failed test can be reset (independently and with an evaluation test that will follow the same evaluative format as the failed test). In case of reset, the maximum grade achievable for each piece of evidence will be 7.
Bibliography
As this is a subject with diverse content, lecturers will provide selected bibliography for each of the different areas and topics covered. There is a mandatory reading in this course:
- Garrido, E.; Lovelle, M.I.; Mora, S. y Pina, R. (2022) Introducción a la psicología forense. Principios para la evaluación. UOC Editorial
Software
Not foreseen.
Course groups and languages
The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE
| Type of teaching | Group | Language | Semester | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TEm) Theory (master) | 1 | Catalan/Spanish | first semester | afternoon |