Cognitive Processes in the Individual Juror (From Psychology of the Courtroom, P 197-220, 1982, Norbert L Kerr and Robert M Bray, ed. - See NCJ-89761)

• NCJ Number: 89767
• Author(s): M F Kaplan
• Date Published: 1982
• Length: 24 pages
• Sale Source: Academic Press, Inc
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article examines the decisionmaking process of the individual juror, using Anderson's (1974) integration model as an organizing framework.

Abstract

The author discusses major factors involved in the judgment process and applies the model to judgments made by jurors, examining the sources and kinds of information contributing to these judgments. Special emphasis is given to factors contributing to juror bias both from legal and extralegal sources (e.g., juror's personal biases, defendant characteristics, pretrial publicity, and inadmissible evidence). The author then considers the reduction of these biases, drawing on the judgment model and its implications, and suggests some needed research. He concludes with a discussion of the related process of juror criterion setting, i.e., deciding how much doubt is needed to reach the threshold of a reasonable doubt. About 65 references are included.