4. PSYCHOLOGY + THE COURTROOM Flashcards
What factors influence Jury’s version
Attractiveness of suspect
Techniques of lawyer
Previous convictions
Witness Confidence:
Penrod + Cutler
Aim
Does witness confidence affect jury decision?
Penrod + Cutler
Method
Mock trial
Lab
Penrod + Cutler
Design
Independent
Varying levels of confidence
Penrod + Cutler
Sample
Undergraduates
People eligible for jury service
Experience of jury
Penrod + Cutler
Procedure
Watched video trial of robbery
Eye witness had key role
Witness= either 80 or 100% confident
Penrod + Cutler
Results
Witness confidence only variable that altered guilty verdict
100% confidence= increases guilty verdict
What do findings from Penrod + Cutler suggest
Witness confidence affects jury decision- confident = believed
Pros of Penrod + Cutler
Lab study- standardised
Controlled
Representative sample- increased population validity= generalisable
Cons of Penrod + Cutler
Reduced ecological validit, aware its a mock trial
Demand characteristics- reduced through independent
No qualitative data
Attractiveness of defendant + plaintiff (victim)
Castellow et al
Aim
Does attractiveness affect jury decision
Castellow
Method
Mock trial
Castellow
Design
Independent
Castellow
Procedure
Mock jurors read trial summary of male employers sexual harassment
Shown photos of defendant (employer) and plaintiff (victim)
Secretary + boss= attractive
Sec= att, boss= unatt
Sec= unatt, boss= att
Sec + boss= unatt
Castellow
Results
More guilty verdict if attractive secretary/ ugly boss= 83%
41% guilty verdict for unatt sec/att boss
What do findings from Castellow suggest
Juries make judgement based on appearance
Attractiveness
Dion et al
Attributional bias
Beautiful= good, good looking people have personality to match
Dion
Halo effect
If a person displays one good characteristic they will have others too
Attractiveness
Signal + Ostrove
Aim
Attractiveness of defendant on jury’s decision depends in type of crime
Signal + Ostrove
Sample
120 college students
Males + females (defendant)
Signal + Ostrove
Method
Mock trial
Lab
Signal + Ostrove
Procedure
IV- type of crime, burglary or fraud
Attractive, unattractive or physical appearance not mentioned= control group
Asked to recommend punishment (sentence length)
Signal + Ostrove
Design
Independent
Signal + Ostrove
Results
Attractive people seem to be treated more leniently, as pjerceived as less dangerous //jury condemn defendant if beauty takes advantage (e.g. fraud) Fraud- att= 5.45, unatt= 4.35, control= 4.35 Burglary- att= 2.8, unatt= 5..2, control= 5.1
Research into Jury decision making
Majority influence
Asch
Aim
Will a person give a wrong answer in the face of an obviously correct answer just because others do