HD 2120

Social Cognition and the Legal System

Course Description

Course information provided by the 2026-2027 Catalog.

Since its inception the US legal system has been a system of social cognition and judgment: Humans perceiving and judging other humans to determine their fate. There are things about the system to admire, but major problems persist. Innocent people get convicted; guilty people go free. Why? Historically, that system built on social cognition has been ignorant about how human judgment actually works—producing errors as a result. This course explores the science of how we think about other people—our perceptions, memories, and judgments—can shape decisions and outcomes in the legal system, sometimes with devastating consequences. Grounded in psychological science and research on social cognition, we’ll examine how mental shortcuts, impression formation, moral judgment and group dynamics influence everything from eyewitness testimony to police investigations, from jury deliberations to sentencing. We will apply classic and cutting-edge research to identify what went wrong in real-world cases and how we could do better. Students will learn how understanding the psychology of social thinking can help explain—and ultimately improve—the legal system.

Distribution Requirements (KCM-HE, SBA-HE)

Last 4 Terms Offered (None)

Learning Outcomes

• Explain key concepts in social cognition and apply them to legal contexts.
• Analyze how cognitive biases and social influences contribute to legal errors.
• Critically evaluate psychological research relevant to the legal system.
• Assess strategies for reducing bias and improving fairness in the legal system.
• Apply psychological theory to real-world legal cases and outcomes.

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