PY3FOR: Forensic Psychology | University of Reading 2020-2021
Module Core Reading List
I recommend two core textbooks – please note that it is not compulsory for you to buy these
textbooks:
Howitt, D. (2018). Introduction to Forensic and Criminal Psychology (6th ed.). Pearson.
Bartol, C. R. & Bartol, A. M. (2019). Introduction to Forensic Psychology: Research and
Application (5th ed.). SAGE. [not available as an E-book]
Please see below for essential and recommended reading associated with each individual
seminar.
Seminar 1: Eyewitness Testimony
Essential Reading
Wells, G. L., & Olson, E. A. (2003). Eyewitness testimony. Annual Review of Psychology,
54, 277–295.
Recommended Reading
Baxter, J.S. (1990). The suggestibility of child witnesses: A review. Applied Cognitive
Psychology, 4, 393-407.
Hammond, L., Wagstaff, G. F., & Cole, J. (2006). Facilitating eyewitness memory in adults
and children with context reinstatement and focused meditation. Journal of
Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling, 3(2), 117–130.
Landström, S., & Granhag, P. A. (2010). In-court versus out-of-court testimonies: children’s
experiences and adults’ assessments. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 24, 941–955.
Laura, S., & Wells, G. L. (2014). Post-identification feedback to eyewitnesses impairs
evaluators' abilities to discriminate between accurate and mistaken testimony. Law &
Human Behavior, 38(2), 194–202.
Scullin, M. H., Kanaya, T., Ceci, S. J. (2002). Measurement of individual differences in
children’s suggestibility across situations. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 8(4),
233–246.
Seminar 2: Interrogations and False Confessions
Essential Reading
Kassin, S., & Gudjonsson, G. (2004). The psychology of confessions evidence: a review of
the literature and issues. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 5, 33–67.
Recommended Reading
, PY3FOR: Forensic Psychology | University of Reading 2020-2021
Bain, S. A., & Baxter, J. S. (2000). Interrogative suggestibility: The role of interviewer
behaviour. Legal and Criminological Psychology, 5, 123–133.
Baxter, J. S., Charles, K. E., Martin, M., & McGroarty A. (2012). The relative influence of
leading questions and negative feedback on response change on the Gudjonsson
Suggestibility Scale (2): Implications for forensic interviewing. Psychology, Crime
and Law, 18, 1–9.
Gudjonsson, G. H. (2006). Sex offenders and confessions: How to overcome their resistance
during questioning. Journal of Clinical and Forensic Medicine, 13, 203–207.
King, L. & Snook, B. (2009). Peering inside a Canadian interrogation room: An examination
of the Reid Model of interrogation, influence tactics, and coercive strategies. Criminal
Justice and Behaviour, 36, 674–694.
Ofshe, R., & Leo, R. (1997). The social psychology of police interrogation: The theory and
classification of true and false confessions. Studies in Law, Politics and Society, 16,
189–251.
Wheatcroft, J., Wagstaff, G. F., Kebbell, M. R. (2004). The influence of courtroom
questioning style on actual and perceived eyewitness confidence and accuracy. Legal
and Criminological Psychology, 9, 83–101.
Seminar 3: Detecting Deceit
Essential Reading
Synnott, J., Dietzel, D., & Ioannou, M. (2015). A review of the polygraph: history,
methodology and current status. Crime Psychology Review, 1, 59–83.
Vrij, A., & Mann, S. (2001). Telling lies in a high-stake situation: The case of a convicted
murderer. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 15, 187–203.
Vrij, A. Hartwig, M. & Anders Granhag, P. (2019). Reading lies: Nonverbal communication
and deception. Annual Review of Psychology, 70, 295–317.
Recommended Reading
Meijer, E. H., & Verschuere, B. (2010), The polygraph and the detection of deception.
Journal of Forensic Psychology Practice, 10(4), 325–338.
Vrij, A., Mann, S. A., Fisher, R. P., Leal, S., Milne, R., & Bull, R. (2008). Increasing
cognitive load to facilitate lie detection: The benefit of recalling an event in reverse
order. Law and Human Behavior, 32(3), 253–265.