On the Witness Stand

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. Hugo Munsterburg was a pioneer of applied psychology. A long time professor of Harvard who struggled to separate his academic passions from his longing for his homeland in Germany, he created an inspirational storm in the quiet Boston town. This work is the combination of several articles previously published in journals and academic magazines where Munsterburg discusses the manifold psychological factors which impact on the outcome of a trial. Using this work, he illuminated a path for those of a rational or scientific bent to investigate the facts relayed by witnesses using experimental psychological methods and a background understanding of the western legal tradition. Amongst other pioneering work, he is one of the first to research the dynamics of a jury and its impact on judicial outcomes.

In 'On the Witness Stand, Essays in Psychology and Crime', the author does not question only individuals but puts our whole set of assumptions about witness testimony on trial. In a way, heavily reminiscent of Cartesian doubt, Munsterburg questions whether two witnesses to the same crime would remember the same thing and if they initially remembered the same incident, would they continue to do so? Would they perceive the same incident to begin with or would they walk through similar but ultimately parallel worlds?

In his search for the truth, Munsterburg goes so far as to describe his own faulty remembrances as a witness, making every attempt to deliver the truth in good faith. As a reader you will be gripped but made thrillingly uncertain about your perceptions, beliefs and memories. Take any memory and ask yourself, did it really happen that way?