Culture, Memory, and Cognition in Legal Contexts

From investigation through to adjudication, legal and investigative professionals frequently engage with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds either as victims, witnesses, or suspects. These individuals have been socialized into their respective cultures and may bring into the legal setting, culturally shaped values, norms, and cognitive styles. Research in cross-cultural cognition has shown culture influences behavior and cognitive processes. Despite this, research in psychology and law has heavily relied on WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich and Democratic) samples, with limited consideration for non-WEIRD contexts. As a result, the evidentiary base underpinning the field is largely based on WEIRD samples, with conclusions often generalized to culturally diverse legal settings. This Research Topic on culture and cognition in legal settings will contribute to diversifying the evidentiary base, improving culturally sensitive practices in cross-cultural settings, including (but not limited to) law enforcement contexts, credibility assessments, asylum contexts, legal decision-making, and jury deliberations.This Research Topic brings together the most cutting-edge discoveries on how culture shapes memory and cognition in the context of laws and regulations, high-stakes situations that individuals and communities may face in their lifetime. Culture, while critically important, remains an emerging and relatively underexplored area within forensic and legal psychology, and its importance cannot be overemphasized. This Research Topic acts as one of the first of its kind to broaden what is known beyond WEIRD societies and perspectives. In particular, this Topic invites scholars who are willing to critically examine, challenge, and expand what is known about applied cognition and memory in legal contexts, while decolonizing and contextualizing existing theories, methods, and practices. Ultimately, this Research Topic will stimulate new conversations and discoveries about culture and encourage a more culturally informed understanding of memory and cognition across legal systems and contexts worldwide.This Research Topic invites research examining the interplay of culture, memory, and cognition across diverse legal contexts, including criminal, civil, family, immigration, international humanitarian, and human rights law, as well as judicial, investigative, correctional, administrative, and welfare settings. Topics may include: • Eyewitness memory and identification• Youth (minors) and the law • Investigative interviewing• Confessions and convictions• Deception detection and credibility assessment• Juror deliberation and legal decision-makingThis Research Topic particularly encourages research addressing cross-cultural similarities and differences, the influence of culture at individual, interpersonal, and community levels across diverse populations and legal systems, and the development of evidence-based recommendations and best practices.This Topic welcomes submissions across the following article types, as defined by the journal guidelines: Original Research, Data Report, Brief Research Report, Systematic Review, Review, Mini Review, Hypothesis and Theory and Perspective, and Policy Brief.Manuscripts focused on purely legal, doctrinal, or socio-legal analyses without a psychological/cognitive component fall outside of the scope of the Forensic and Legal Psychology section, but remain welcome within this Research Topic through the most suitable cross-listed sections. If you’re unsure which section fits best, contact the journal team at psychology@frontiersin.org. Topic editors: Nkansah Anakwah, Nathanael Elnadus Johanes Sumampouw Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/85775/culture-memory-and-cognition-in-legal-contexts