Conference to address effects of law on decision-making

The Psychology and the Law program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will hold the first of three annual conferences and think tanks May 22-26 at UNL's Wick Alumni Center, 1520 R St.

The first conference is titled "Legal Decision Making in Everyday Life: Controversies in Social Consciousness." It is open to laypersons, students and faculty with knowledge of and interest in topics of psychology and the law. There is no fee for the conference, but registration either in advance or at the door is required. A printable registration form is available at http://psycweb.unl.edu/psypage/poe. The Web site also contains a schedule of speakers and workshops.

Subtopics for the conference include affirmative action, employment discrimination, profiling, regulations of speech, and hate crimes. Renowned national scholars in law and psychology will present material at the conference and guide workshops.

The goal of the conference, according to UNL psychology professor Richard Wiener, is to generate ideas for future research by faculty and students. Each visiting expert will return to the UNL campus after the conference for follow-up workshops. Graduate students in law and psychology will work with visiting and UNL faculty to develop areas of collaboration on research projects.

The conference will also produce a book of the same title edited by UNL faculty, including Wiener, Brian Bornstein, professor of psychology; Robert Schopp, professor of law; and Steven Willborn, dean of the College of Law.

Law and Psychology is an interdisciplinary program with faculty from the department of psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Law.

Future conferences will address jury decision-making in civil cases and mental health law. Funding for the think tank is provided by a University of Nebraska Program of Excellence Award.

CONTACT: Richard Wiener, Professor, Psychology, (402) 472-1137 (rwiener2@unl.edu)