Witness Appeal

Question 1

What study links to attractiveness of the defendant (halo effect)?
Aim…

Answer 1

Castellow et al
- to investigate the attractiveness of a defendant affects the verdicts, including:
~ whether an attractive defendant is less likely to be seen as guilty
~ whether the victim being attractive affects if the defendant is more likely to be found guilty
~ whether there are any gender differences in the jury verdicts depending on the attractiveness

Question 2

Research and method design (Castellow)

& conditions

Answer 2

Laboratory experiment using independent measures design
- conditions
~ make participant with attractive defendant and unattractive plantiff
~ male participant with unattractive defendant and attractive plantiff
~ female participant with attractive defendant and unattractive plantiff
~ female participant with unattractive defendant and attractive plantiff

Question 3

Sample… (Castellow)

Answer 3

• 146 psychology students
• from East California uni
• 71 males, 75 females

Question 4

Procedure… (Castellow)

Answer 4

• asked to read sexual harassment case in which a male employer was accused of sexually harassing a female
• then asked a question about it
• photos were attached & has been previously rated
• towards the end participants had to rate defendants characteristics on 9 point scale.

Question 5

Results… (Castellow)

Answer 5

• attractive victim & unattractive defendant 83% found guilty
• unattractive victim & attractive defendant 41% were found guilty

Question 6

Conclusion… (Castellow)

Answer 6

Halo effect does have a powerful influence on the number of guilty verdicts given. Therefore the defendant will be advised to make the best appearance when appearing in court

Question 7

What is the halo effect?

Answer 7

Where people have positive characteristics such as well dressed, shaven, clean, hair cute

Question 8

Why is it important to speak with confidence?

Answer 8

Confidence when speaking is quality that instills trust in what you’re saying & gives your evidence or info more credibility - confidence witness = accurate witness

Question 9

Penrod & Cutler

Answer 9

To investiga e the factors that jurors might consider when evaluating eyewitness identification evidence

Question 10

Method & design of P andC

2 conditions

Answer 10

Experiment using a mock trial & independent measures design.
Conditions…
- evidence given with 100% confidence
- evidence given with 80% confidence

Question 11

Participants of pendrod

Answer 11

Undergraduates as well as experiences jurors

Question 12

Procedure of pendrod

Answer 12

• videotape trial of robbery was shown, it was the same for all apart from % rating that the witness gave of their confidence
• in the vid the witness had to identify a suspect and rate their confidence level either 80% or 100%

Question 13

Results of penrod…

Answer 13

The more confident a witness stated in their identification of a suspect the more likely they were to be believed and therefore a higher percentage of guilty verdicts were given

• 67% voted guilty for 100% confidence
• 60% voted guilty for 80% confidence

Question 14

Conclusion of Penrod

Answer 14

The effect that confidence of s witness has on the outcome of a trial - if they’re more confident they’re more likely to be believed

Question 15

Theory of Ross et al

Answer 15

Cases such as sexual abuse can be hard for children or the victim, therefore they are allowed to give evidence behind a screen or via a video link, this will cause the event to be less traumatic as they will not have to face the defendant

Question 16

What’s wrong with using shielding and video tapes in a courtroom?

Answer 16

Some argue that it causes prejudice and makes the jury feel that the defendant must be guilty as the victim needs to be protected from them
- testimony should be seen as reliable however makes the witness fragile or unreliable

Question 17

Ross et al aim…

Answer 17

Investigate whether the use of protective shields and videotaped testimony increases the likelihood of a guilty verdict and the effect of protective devices on jury reaction to testimony

Question 18

Research and method of Ross

Answer 18

Mock trial based on an actual court transcript & video tape using actors 
Three versions of the case (3 condition)
- open court with the child in full view
- child behind 4x6 foot screen
- child via video link

Question 19

Sample of Ross

Answer 19

300 college students: male & female 50:50 from a psychology class
- White and middle class

Question 20

Procedure of Ross

Answer 20

• watched 3 versions of 2 hour film in which the child’s father was the accused defendant - single touch whilst father was giving the child a bath, the case focused on innocent or sexual in nature
• participants gave their verdicts & rated the credibility of the child’s witness
• also rated defendant in a variety of dimensions of his credibility

Question 21

Results of Ross

Answer 21

• guilty verdicts showed no significant differences between conditions
• significant difference between males and females : 59% of females and 39% of males found the defendant guilty
• juries perception of the credibility of the defendant did not differ across conditions

Question 22

Conclusion of Ross

Answer 22

The use of sheilds and video links do not affect the overall verdicts Given. But that women are more likely to convict in a child abuse case