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Minding the Law

Bridging Mind Sciences and Law
by Jon Hanson
Jon Hanson is the Alfred Smart Professor of Law and the Director of the Project on Law and Mind Sciences at Harvard Law School. See full bio

Minding the Law

November 21, 2009

Thanksgiving as "System Justification"

Giving thanks—acknowledging that we are not the sole determinants of our own fortunes—seems an admirable, humble, and even situationist practice, worthy of its own holiday. But there's a downside. Read More

September 19, 2009

Hey Dove! Talk to YOUR Parent!

But if the problem is sexualized stereotypes and unhealthy body types, then why is Dove telling parents to "talk to their kids before the beauty industry does"? Shouldn't Dove be talking to its parent about not talking to our kids? Why would we applaud the arsonist when he passes out pamphlets on how to fight fires? Why buy mousetraps from the same person who dumped rodents into our basement? Read More

September 15, 2009

Stanley Milgram Revisited

Next week, I'll lead a reading group that reviews some of the classic studies in social psychology.  Because Stanley Milgram's Obedience expierments had the biggest initial impact on my own practice of "minding the law," I thought it was a great study for my students to begin with and a perfect topic to kick off this blog. Read More

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Law and Crime Basics

Law and Crime

Psychology and the law intersect in the field of forensic science. Legal practitioners require a grasp of human motivation at its most basic and most debased in order to render fair judgment.

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Heartbreak and Home Runs: The Power of First Experiences

How early life experiences shape our character.