Problems of Forensic Sciences 2014 Vol. 99 (XCIX ) 218-232
PSYCHOLOGY AND LAW – BETWEEN MULTIDISCIPLINARY AND INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH
Joanna KABZIŃSKA1, 2, Ewa HABZDA-SIWEK3
1Professor Edward Lipinski School of Economics, Law and Medical Sciences, Kielce, Poland
2SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Faculty in Katowice, Poland
3Faculty of Law, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
Streszczenie
Psychology and law is nowadays defined as a research area that covers a spectrum of theoretical and practical problems arising on the border of both disciplines. The term is therefore broader than those used previously (such as forensic or legal psychology), and describes the complex relationship between law and psychology in a more comprehensive manner. Psychology and law is often characterized as an interdisciplinary field of research and practice. The main purpose of this paper is to consider whether the field deserves that meaning. Starting from the presentation of theoretical models for conducting multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research, the authors analyse the possible and expected manners of cooperation between psychologists and lawyers. The key issue is that there are different forms of relationship between both disciplines and that they are gradable. To reach the interdisciplinary level of cooperation, members of research groups should exchange knowledge and solve problems together, going far beyond an approach belonging to solely one discipline. The conclusion is that the majority of research conducted within psychology and law and declared as interdisciplinary, remained in fact at the earlier, multidisciplinary, stage of cooperation. The development of psychology and law depends on institutional support for establishing an interdisciplinary research group gathering both psychologists and lawyers. Finally, some institutional limitations for conducting interdisciplinary research in Poland are discussed.
Słowa kluczowe
Psychology and law; Legal psychology; Interdisciplinary research; Multidisciplinary research.