Psychophysiological techniques in legal and forensic psychology

Course objectives

The course aims at exploring the topic of the use of psychophysiological techniques in forensic contexts, providing a basic psychophysiological training, and to stimulate scientific reasoning- This course introduces the broad areas of biological bases of behaviour,within a mind-body perspective  It also aims at stimulating a critical approach to psychophysiological methods and techniques with a specific focus on the forensic implications. Specific topics covered will include: (A) the use of neuroimaging techniques in forensic contexts;(B) sleep disorders associated to violence; (C) the assessment of awareness within the context of violent behaviors during sleep; (D)  psychophysiological indices of vigilance aimed to assess ability to drive Knowledge and understanding: Understanding the role of psychophysiological techniques within the legal forensic contexts. More in detail, he/she will know the most relevant legal forensic consequences of violence during sleep, and characteristics and limitations of the use of neuroimaging techniques within the specific legal forensic contexts. Applying knowledge and understanding: Undestanding and applying knowledge for mastering psychophisiological correlates of violence during sleep and of the use of neuroimaging techniques within the legal forensic contexts. This knowledge will be useful for critically reading scientific articles and meta.analyses on the efficacy of clinical treatments. Making judgements: The Course is aimed to promote critical thinking regarding using specific measure in basic and applied Psychophysology, and also to promote awareness on characteristics of scientific experimentation and on the main techniques of Psychophylogy. Communication skills: The Course is aimed to gain specific communication skills. To this direct aim, exams will be also oral exams for contextualizing basic notions within a metaknowledge matrix. Learning skills: Students should learn an autonomous orienting towards their subsequent steps of postgraduate education.

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LUIGI DE GENNARO Lecturers' profile

Program - Frequency - Exams

Course program
The course will be articulated in two different areas: (a) Techniques in Psychophysiology; (b) Legal Topics in Sleep Medicine
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of anatomical and physiological foundations: ESSENTIAL Reading in English: ESSENTIAL Basic knowledge on sleep and sleep disorders: USEFUL
Books
During the course the professor will provide articles in English and other teaching material. The goal is to define an exam program for those who will attend the course, centered on the contents covered during the lessons. (The material presented in class will be, from time to time, made available in the teacher's files/attachments space and in videos on the YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ8qkx16a4n_p1_4ZBNMsBQ) For those who will not attend the course: • Castiello, Tecniche sperimentali di ricerca in psicologia, Piccin e Appendice di aggiornamento: Bonfiglioli-Castiello, Metodi di indagine in neuroscienze cognitive, Piccin • Basic and applied research on deception and its detection, Matthias Gamer and Wolfgang Ambach (Eds.). Available in Open Access: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/763/basic-and-applied-research-on-deception-and-its-detection) • Legal Topics in Sleep Medicine (provided by the professor) • Articles on the legatl topics associate to the dissociative states of sleep (provided by the professor)
Teaching mode
The topics of the course will be presented through lectures soliciting an active role on the part of the students. Clinical cases and video-recordings of patients with sleep disorders will be presented. Further materials will be available on the YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ8qkx16a4n_p1_4ZBNMsBQ
Frequency
Attendance is strongly recommended, although not formally mandatory. In any case, all lessons will also be available in recorded mode.
Exam mode
The final evalution (i.e., exam) will consist of an assessment of acquired knowledge. Who will attend the course can make the choice to discuss the contents of the lessons. Just an oral evaluation during the institutional exam. The mean duration of oral examination is 20-30 minutes
Bibliography
Nothing other
Lesson mode
The lessons will be face-to-face, but participation in distance learning lessons will also be permitted through the availability of video recordings of the face-to-face lessons, for those who cannot attend.
  • Lesson code10595699
  • Academic year2025/2026
  • CourseLegal, Forensic and Criminological Psychology
  • CurriculumSingle curriculum
  • Year1st year
  • Semester2nd semester
  • SSDM-PSI/02
  • CFU6