Forensic psychology is the study of the integration
of psychology and the law. It is a new blend
of two old professions—psychology, which is
the study of human behavior, and law, which is
the study of how people rule themselves in social
situations. Psychologists generally use the scientific
method of induction to understand human
behavior while lawyers use reason or the
deductive method of inquiry to understand legal
issues. Each discipline uses different methods to
interpret and solve problems. Like the old saying
that “two heads are better than one,” we believe
that using the knowledge, information, and
techniques of both disciplines to better understand
simple and complex problems is the best
way to find “truth.” Table 1.1 gives a comparison
of how truth is discerned using the tools found in
the study of law and in psychology.