A2 - Making a Case - // - Inadmissable Evidence

Question 1

Background Info: What is inadmissible evidence? (3 marks)

Answer 1

1. Hearsay (e.g. gossip, speculation, rumour, etc)
2. Informing jurors about previous convictions
3. Improper evidence acquired through illegal means (e.g. phone tapping, house search without warrant)

Question 2

What does the judge do when inadmissible evidence is presented? What are potential implications?

Answer 2

The judge will direct the jury to disregard what they have just heard. However, by drawing attention to it, the jury pay even more attention (a.k.a the reactance theory).

Question 3

Who conducted the study on inadmissible evidence?

Answer 3

Picket el al (1995)

Question 4

What was the aim of his study?

Answer 4

To look at the role of the judge’s instructions, when followed by a legal explanation.

Question 5

What was the sample?

Answer 5

236 students from Bali State University took part in the study.

Question 6

What were the 2 experimental conditions?

Answer 6

1. Judge rules evidence as inadmissible + legal explanation.

2. Judge rules evidence as inadmissible + no legal explanation

Question 7

What did participants have to do? What was found?

Answer 7

• Participants had to decide verdict & probable guilt of defendant and credibility of witnesses.
• Mock jurors in the ‘no explanation’ condition, were able to ignore it and find the defendant guilty
• Mock jurors in the ‘legal explanation’ condition, were less likely to find defendant guilty; showing that they were unable to ignore it.
• Credibility of witness + knowledge of prior convictions had no significant effect on verdict

Question 8

How is the sample biased?

Answer 8

Sample is made up of university students from a Bali uni

Question 9

How is the study reliable?

Answer 9

Use of standardised procedure - audio tape

Question 10

How is the study useful?

Answer 10

Helps us understand that attention should not be brought to inadmissible evidence.

Question 11

How does the study lack ecological validity?

Answer 11

• jury = all students (not representative of a real jury)
• mock trial - audio tape
• decision doesn’t have repercussions and they didn’t deliberate

Question 12

Name all 4 evaluative points.

Answer 12

1. Biased Sample
2. Reliability
3. Usefulness
4. Low ecological validity