Psychology, Science and Society

Our research theme is divided in two main areas: Legal Psychology and Applied Psychology.

Legal Psychology

Legal Psychology focuses on the field of psychology as it applies to law. In particular, the legal psychology area of this research theme investigates false confessions and their impact on wrongful convictions. Our goal is to study common sense beliefs and misconceptions about false confessions, how these pose a risk for innocent suspects in police custody, and the perspective of the police. Furthermore, we examine the use of empirical evidence in law and are interested in legal decision-making.

Current and recent projects

• Police Practices and Beliefs about Suspect Interviews in Europe: Fall 2017 – current, Dr. Jenny Schell-Leugers (Principle Investigator, UCM), Dr. Miet Vanderhallen (Maastricht University & University of Antwerp), Prof. Saul Kassin (John Jay College of Criminal Justice, NYC), Prof. Renate Volbert (Charité Berlin, Germany), Dr. Sara Landström (University of Gothenburg, Sweden), Dr. Jaume Masip (University of Salamanca, Spain), and Dr. Trond Myklebust (Norwegian Police College University, Norway).
• Protesters’ and Non-Protesters’ Police Perceptions in the Hambacher Forest - A Chance for De-Escalation?: UCM Marble Project Spring 2019, Dr. Jenny Schell-Leugers (Coordinator), Emma Franzi Runge (Student, UCM) and Sophie Volz (Student, UCM)
• The Role of Empirical Evidence in Germany’s Legal Practice: UCM ARI and Capstone Projects Fall 2019, Dr. Jenny Schell-Leugers (Coordinator), Emma Deutz (ARI – Student, UCM), Franzi Runge (Capstone – Student, UCM)
• People’s belief about confessions: Spring 2021, Research project surveying lay people across seven countries about confession related issues, Dr. Jenny Schell-Leugers (Supervisor), Noa Kaesler (Master Student, FPN) and Anna van Achterberg (Master Student, FPN).
• Wrongfully Stigmatized – Public Attitudes Toward Exonerees in the Netherlands and Germany: UCM MaRBLe and Capstone Project Fall 2021 – Spring 2022, Dr. Jenny Schell-Leugers (Coordinator), Veerle Nieuwkamp (MaRBLe – Student, UCM), Ulrike Krüger (MaRBLe/Capstone – Student, UCM)

Applied Psychology (Sexual Assault Research and Prevention)

Since #MeToo, society has become more concerned about sexual assault and how to prevent it. We focus on sexual assault prevalence: how many students are affected by sexual assault in the Netherlands and at UM specifically? Furthermore, we are in the process of implementing an evidence-based sexual assault prevention training and are looking forward to evaluating this in the context of an international university in the Netherlands.