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Psychologist perceptions of the role of psychologists in national security interrogations: an examination of policy decision-making
Dissertation   Open access

Psychologist perceptions of the role of psychologists in national security interrogations: an examination of policy decision-making

Alice H. Thornewill
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Drexel University
May 2019
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00001005
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Abstract

Military interrogation Psychologists National Security Psychology
The purpose of this study was to examine the opinions of the general public and psychologists regarding the roles of psychologists in national security interrogations and other contexts that do not involve the delivery of traditional assessment and treatment services. The discussion following the release of the Hoffman Report has underscored the sharp differences in how the Report's findings are regarded. This survey of psychologists engaged in traditional and non-traditional professional activities, as well as the general public, sheds light on the broader perceptions of the Report's conclusions and implications, and helps determine future directions for the profession of psychology. Results revealed that the general public appears to be more accepting of psychologist involvement in national security settings - the type of activities highlighted in the Report as problematic - than psychologists. In addition, findings demonstrated that the perceptions of traditional and non-traditional psychologists regarding the appropriate role of psychologists across myriad settings do not differ significantly, perhaps indicating that the profession is less divided than initially thought after the Report's release. Implications for research, policy, and practice are discussed.

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