Eberhadt Et Al: Captial Punishment (Alternatives)

Question 1

Aim?

Answer 1

To investigate whether there was support for the hypothesis that Black offenders with stereotypically Black features were more likely to get the death sentence than White offenders

Question 2

Method?

Answer 2

Lab experiment

Question 3

Controls?

Answer 3

• extent to which defendant has stereotypically Black features (IV)
• mitigating circumstances (factors which could have influenced behaviour)
• socioeconomic status of victim+defendant
• defendant’s attractiveness

Question 4

Sample?

Answer 4

•51 raters from Stanford UNI (32 White, 15 Asian, 4 other)

Question 5

Procedure?

Answer 5

• analysis of database of death eligible cases in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1979-1999
• 44 cases= Black man murdered White
• photographs shown to raters who were asked to use their facial features go rate stereotypicality from 1 to 11 (Very)
• each photo black+white, shown for 4s

Question 6

Results?

Answer 6

• stereotypically Black defendants were 57.5% more likely to receive the death sentence than non (24.4%)
• secondary study with Black defendant+victim with same analysis had no significant effect= Black victim less important?

Question 7

Conclusions?

Answer 7

• jurors see the race of the defendant as a blameworthy factor in the trial
• Black physical traits are associated with criminality+influences sentencing decisions

Question 8

Strengths?

Answer 8

• high ecological validity
• many controls= internal v
• not ethnocentric
• blind test= reduces social desirability
• useful as may change jury system

Question 9

Weaknesses?

Answer 9

• likert scales are subjective
• mug shots= low in eco v
• ratio of raters is unrealistic of Pennsylvania= low pop v

Question 10

Background?

Answer 10

80% of murder victims in cases resulting in execution were White, even though nationally only 50% of murder victims are white