Factors affecting Jury Decision-Making

Flashcards covering the influence of attractiveness, race, accent, and pre-trial publicity on jury decision-making.

What is the halo effect in jury decision-making?

A cognitive bias where jurors attribute positive traits to attractive defendants.

How does attractiveness lead to leniency in jury decisions?

Attractive defendants are often perceived as less likely to commit crimes.

What is the 'devil effect'?

The opposite bias where unattractive defendants may be seen as more likely guilty.

When might attractiveness be a disadvantage for a defendant?

For crimes like swindling, fraud, or sexual coercion, where looks may be perceived as a tool for crime.

What did Abwender & Hough (2001) find regarding gender and attractiveness in jurors?

Female jurors were more lenient toward attractive female defendants, whereas male jurors were harsher toward attractive defendants.

What did Patry (2008) find that challenges the attractiveness-leniency hypothesis?

Mock jurors who discussed the case were more likely to convict attractive defendants.

What influences whether attractiveness leads to leniency or harshness?

The type of crime and the interaction between juror and defendant characteristics.

How does juror race affect verdicts?

Jurors are more likely to acquit defendants of the same race and convict those of different races.

What theoretical concept explains racial bias in juries?

Social Identity Theory (SIT) explains how individuals favor their ingroup and may discriminate against outgroups.

What did Bradbury & Williams (2013) find about jury composition?

Juries with more white/Hispanic members were more likely to convict black defendants.

What did Pfeifer & Ogloff (1991) demonstrate regarding defendant and victim race?

Black defendants were rated guiltier than white defendants, especially when the victim was white.

What is a key weakness of mock jury studies on race?

They may lack ecological validity as real jurors face greater consequences.

How can accent influence jury perceptions?

Accents associated with lower status may lead to negative judgments of credibility.

What did Dixon et al. (2002) find about regional accents?

A Birmingham accent led to higher guilt ratings compared to a standard British accent.

Why might accent bias occur in juror decisions?

Jurors may feel more solidarity with familiar accents and distrust unfamiliar ones.

What is a limitation of accent research in the courtroom?

Studies often use recorded, scripted testimony, isolating accent from visual cues.

How might accent interact with other jury factors?

Accent bias may be amplified or reduced by defendant appearance, demeanor, and evidence strength.

What is pre-trial publicity (PTP)?

Media coverage of a case before trial, which can include biased or inaccurate information.

How does negative PTP affect jurors?

It creates pre-existing schemas of guilt, leading to biased interpretation of evidence.

What did Steblay et al. (1999) conclude about negative PTP?

It increased guilty verdicts from 45% to 59% across their meta-analysis.

For which crimes is the PTP effect strongest?

Murder and sexual abuse cases, where media coverage is often more emotional.

How does technology exacerbate the effects of PTP?

It allows rapid spread of misinformation and shapes public opinion outside traditional media.

What legal safeguards exist against PTP?

Change of venue, jury sequestration, voir dire, and judicial instructions.

What is a strength of mock jury research?

It allows controlled manipulation of variables to establish cause-effect relationships.

What is a major weakness of mock jury studies?

Low ecological validity as mock jurors face no real consequences.

How do individual differences among jurors affect their decisions?

Factors like personality, prior experiences, and empathy can moderate biases.

What is the 'confidence-accuracy paradox' in jury research?

Jurors may be confident in their verdicts even when influenced by biases.

How can research on jury biases be applied in the legal system?

It can inform jury selection, judicial instructions, expert testimony, and reforms.

How can courts reduce attractiveness bias in jury decisions?

By implementing blind procedures where jurors do not see the defendant.

How can racial bias be addressed in jury selection?

Creating diverse jury pools and using Batson challenges against racially motivated strikes.

What can be done about accent bias?

Providing transcripts or interpreters and focusing on evidence rather than speech style.

How can the effects of PTP be minimized?

Through gag orders, sequestered juries, and thorough voir dire.

What is the role of expert witnesses in educating juries?

Experts can explain biases to help jurors make objective decisions.

What ethical issues arise in jury bias research?

Deception, potential psychological harm, and privacy concerns.

How can researchers ensure ethical mock jury studies?

By obtaining informed consent, debriefing, and maintaining anonymity.

What are the ethical implications of real jury observations?

Balancing research transparency with juror privacy and judicial integrity.