Forensic - Area 4 Flashcards
What does Penrod and Cutler state about witness confidence ?
Looked at female witness confidence at 80% or 100% measuring % of guilty verdicts. 67% of jury voted robber guilty on 100% confidence but only 60% in 80% confidence. Found that more confident the witness is, the more likely jury is to return a guilty verdict.
What did Rozell state about child witnesses ?
Found that children were good observes and perhaps more objective than adults. Reported that children have a greater difficulty in translating their observation.
What is the halo effect ?
Cognitive bias, which overall impression of a person influences thoughts about a persons character.
What did Dion et al state about the halo effect on attractiveness ?
Used 60 psych student and found attractive people are more likely to be viewed as having socially desirable personalities and less likely to be convicted as criminals.
What did Castellow state about the attractiveness of the defendant ?
Used a mock trial with 71 males and 74 females psych students from the USA. Given photos of sexual harassment case that were previously scored from 1 to 9 on attractiveness. Found appearance can have an effect on jury decisions.
What did Signal and Ostrove state about attraciveness of the defendant ?
120 undergraduates into 6 groups. Presented with case of either attractive female defendant or unattractive. or control and if the crime was burglary or fraud. Found unattractive and control were of a similar conviction. Attractive had longer sentences for fraud. Attractive people are more likely to get a way with crime or receive reduced sentences.
What did Medlar et al state about the race of the defendant ?
found during sexual assault cases, defendants who were white, attractive victims were rated as more responsible for alleged assault than unattractive victims. However this was reversed for trial with black defendant and non-existent for trials with aboriginal Canadian defendants.
