Psychology and Law

Brain inside a building with pillars.

Have you ever wondered about the role of psychology in legal issues? Design a research project to collect and analyze data and investigate questions at the intersection of psychology and law.

Project description

The goal of this project is to use psychological research methods to investigate topics related to law. This research will typically take the form of assessing public opinion on a legal topic or presenting courtroom stimulations to mock jurors to assess how various types of information influence juror decisions of guilt. Students interested in this project must be comfortable with research methods such as survey design. This research is student-driven; thus, students must have in mind specific psychology and law topics that they are interested in investigating. Students should consult with the project mentor beforehand to discuss the feasibility of their research proposals.

Project outcome

The specific outcomes of this project will be identified by the faculty mentor at the beginning of your collaboration. 

Project details

Timing, eligibility and other details
Length of commitment Longer than a semester (6-9 months)
Start time Anytime
In-person, remote, or hybrid?
Hybrid
Level of collaboration Individual student project 
Benefits Academic credit
Who is eligible Completion of PSY350 is strongly preferred. Some coursework in psychology and law, political science, criminology, or forensics is also helpful.

Project mentor

Joyce Lacy

Clinical Assistant Professor

Department of Psychology

222 Park Hall

Phone: 716-645-0185

Email: jlacy@buffalo.edu

Start the project

  1. Email the project mentor using the contact information above to express your interest and get approval to work on the project. (Here are helpful tips on how to contact a project mentor.)
  2. After you receive approval from the mentor to start this project, click the button to start the digital badge. (Learn more about ELN's digital badge options.) 

Preparation activities

Once you begin the digital badge series, you will have access to all the necessary activities and instructions. Your mentor has indicated they would like you to also complete the specific preparation activities below. Please reference this when you get to Step 2 of the Preparation Phase. 

Keywords

Psychology