Why Is Testimony by a Psychologist Regarding the Accuracy of Witnesses

question 63

Multiple Choice

Why is testimony by a psychologist regarding the accuracy of witnesses often denied?

• A) Insufficient research has been done to allow the expert to develop informed opinions.
• B) Judges fear "battles of the experts."
• C) Judges fear that an expert witness's testimony may usurp the jury's role as fact finders.
• D) Psychology supposedly offers nothing beyond the common knowledge of laypersons.

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Definitions:

Linear Term

A component of an equation characterized by a variable raised to the first power, indicating a direct proportionality relationship.

Significance Level

The possibility of inaccurately negating the null hypothesis in a statistical test, often exemplified by alpha.

Second-order Model

In statistics and mathematics, a model that accounts for variability by including terms for both the linear effects and their squares.

Significance Level

A threshold in hypothesis testing that determines whether an observed effect is statistically significant. It is the probability of rejecting the null hypothesis when it is true.