scholarly journals Cognitive Biases in Criminal Case Evaluation: A Review of the Research

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Meterko ◽  
Glinda Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Biases ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Human Cognition ◽  
Criminal Case ◽  
Supporting Evidence ◽  
Case Evaluation ◽  
Complex Stimuli ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Specific Factors

AbstractPsychological heuristics are an adaptive part of human cognition, helping us operate efficiently in a world full of complex stimuli. However, these mental shortcuts also have the potential to undermine the search for truth in a criminal investigation. We reviewed 30 social science research papers on cognitive biases in criminal case evaluations (i.e., integrating and drawing conclusions based on the totality of the evidence in a criminal case), 18 of which were based on police participants or an examination of police documents. Only two of these police participant studies were done in the USA, with the remainder conducted in various European countries. The studies provide supporting evidence that lay people and law enforcement professionals alike are vulnerable to confirmation bias, and there are other environmental, individual, and case-specific factors that may exacerbate this risk. Six studies described or evaluated the efficacy of intervention strategies, with varying evidence of success. Further research, particularly in the USA, is needed to evaluate different approaches to protect criminal investigations from cognitive biases.

Quality of Publication in International Context

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Lalitha ◽  
Amrita Ghatak
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Social Science ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Comparative Performance ◽  
International Context ◽  
Global Context ◽  
The Status ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Uk

This chapter analyses the status of India’s social science research (SSR) publications in global context. The outputs chosen to assess India’s comparative performance is the articles written and published by Indians in the field of social sciences either individually or in collaboration with researchers outside India. The study analysed journal articles published during 2008–14 drawn from Scopus database to examine the publication status of India in social sciences in an international context. The study found that the six-year period, 2009–14, India consistently ranks among the top 15 countries in the world. Discipline-wise analysis shows that the share of pure social science articles was significant but is declining. Of the total 30938 articles, 28 per cent are published with international collaboration. The USA and the UK contribute 52 per cent of total international collaborations.

The Royal Society and the ‘brain drain’: natural scientists meet social science

2009 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 339-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Balmer ◽  
Matthew Godwin ◽  
Jane Gregory
Keyword(s):  
Social Science ◽  
Brain Drain ◽  
Questionnaire Survey ◽  
Royal Society ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Political Intervention ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Scientific Migration

Although concerns about the loss of British scientists to the USA and elsewhere grew slowly throughout the 1950s and early 1960s, the Royal Society's 1963 report on the emigration of scientists sparked a very public debate about the ‘brain drain’. This paper concentrates on the Society's key role in creating focus and impetus for the debate through the report and questionnaire survey that informed it. In this engagement with social science research, the tension between the Society's political neutrality, as a representative of science, and political intervention, as an advocate for science, manifested itself in the planning, execution and reporting of its study on scientific migration.

An assessment of engaged social science research in nanoscale science and engineering communities

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (6) ◽  
pp. 853-865 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alecia Radatz ◽  
Michael Reinsborough ◽  
Erik Fisher ◽  
Elizabeth Corley ◽  
David Guston
Keyword(s):  
Social Science ◽  
Research Policy ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
State University ◽  
Science And Engineering ◽  
Nanoscale Science And Engineering ◽  
Research Systems ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Nanoscale Science

Abstract Increased funding of nanotechnology research in the USA at the turn of the millennium was paired with a legislative commitment to and a novel societal research policy for the responsible development of nanotechnology. Innovative policy discourses at the time suggested that such work could engage a variety of publics, stakeholders, and researchers to enhance the capacity of research systems to adapt and be responsive to societal values and concerns. This article reviews one of two federally funded social science research centers—the Center for Nanotechnology in Society at Arizona State University(CNS-ASU)—to assess the merits of this form of engaged social science research in which social science contributes not only to traditional knowledge production but also to the capacity of natural science and engineering researchers and research communities for greater reflexivity and responsiveness, ultimately producing more socially robust research systems.

The characteristics and results of eyewitness identification procedures conducted during robbery investigations in Houston, TX

2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 601-619 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Wells ◽  
Bradley Campbell ◽  
Yudu Li ◽  
Stryker Swindle
Keyword(s):  
Eyewitness Identification ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Scientific Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Social Scientific Research ◽  
Social Scientific ◽  
Identification Procedures

Purpose Social scientific research is having a substantial impact on eyewitness identification procedural reforms. Police agencies in the USA have changed their eyewitness practices based on the results of social scientific research. The purpose of this paper is to contribute new knowledge by using a unique set of data to describe detailed aspects of eyewitness identification procedures conducted as part of robbery investigations in Houston, TX. Design/methodology/approach Robbery investigators completed surveys following identification procedures conducted during a six-month period of time. The sample includes 975 identification procedures. The analysis describes important features of identification procedures and places results in the context of existing research. Findings Results show that photo spreads were the most frequently used lineup procedure and selection outcomes were similar to recent field studies conducted in the USA. Results also show that the type of procedure, presence of a weapon, cross-race identifications, and viewing opportunity were significantly correlated with selection outcomes. Originality/value Police are reforming their eyewitness identification procedures based on findings from social science research. The study measures and describe the characteristics of a large sample eyewitness procedures conducted by investigators in the field.

scholarly journals Evolución de la investigación psicosocial del dopaje en el deporte de competición: una revisión narrativa (Evolution of doping in elite sport from the perspective of social sciences: a narrative review)

Retos ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena García-Grimau ◽  
Arturo Casado ◽  
Ricardo De la Vega
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Social Factors ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Elite Sport ◽  
Prevention Strategies ◽  
The Social ◽  
El Sistema ◽  
Specific Factors

  Considerando que los ejes básicos que conforman el sistema antidopaje son el legislativo, el biomédico y el psicosocial, la investigación en esta última ha sido la más tardía en aparecer. El objetivo principal de este estudio se centra en realizar una revisión bibliográfica en profundidad sobre el estudio del dopaje en el deporte de competición desde la perspectiva de las ciencias sociales e identificar nuevos desafíos de investigación antidopaje para mejorar las estrategias de prevención en España. La revisión indica que existen diferentes modelos teóricos aplicados para comprender las actitudes, intenciones y conductas hacia el dopaje. Del mismo modo, son muchos los factores individuales, sociales y específicos del deporte que pueden influir en el dopaje. En España en particular, la evolución de la lucha contra el dopaje ha sido tardía y es necesario el impulso de una mayor investigación científica en el eje psicosocial, con una mayor coordinación entre los investigadores, los organismos antidopaje y las federaciones deportivas nacionales.  Abstract. Considering that legislative, biomedical and psycho-social factors could be the cornerstones in antidoping research, the latter has been the latest to be developed. The aim of this study is to carry out an in-depth bibliographic review on the study of doping in elite sport from the perspective of the social sciences and to identify new anti-doping research challenges to improve prevention strategies in Spain. The review indicates that there are different theoretical models used to understand attitudes, intentions and behaviors towards doping. Similarly, there are many individual, social and sport-specific factors that can influence doping practice. Particularly in Spain, the evolution of the fight against doping has been quite late and it is necessary to promote more social science research, with greater coordination between researchers, anti-doping organizations and national sport federations.

scholarly journals On the roots of, and solutions to, the persistent battle between “chemonoia” and rationalist denialism of the subjective nature of human cognition

2015 ◽  
Vol 34 (12) ◽  
pp. 1272-1278 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Ropeik
Keyword(s):  
Social Science ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Human Cognition ◽  
Cultural Conflict ◽  
The Past ◽  
Body Of Knowledge

Despite remarkable advances over the past 35 years in the field of toxicology generally, and the development of a vast body of knowledge detailing the nature and degree of many human and environmental toxicological risks, the excessive fear of anything connected with chemicals that some refer to as “chemonoia” persists. So too, unfortunately, does the rationalist belief that once the facts are all in, everyone will agree on what those facts say. This article examines the roots of what is essentially a cultural conflict, explains what various bodies of social science research reveal about the psychological roots of that conflict, and offers suggestions on how to move forward.

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