NCJ Number
197645
Journal
Law and Human Behavior Volume: 26 Issue: 5 Dated: October 2002 Pages: 507-526
Date Published
October 2002
Length
20 pages
Annotation
This article explores whether pre-trial validity beliefs and ideology can influence jury decision-making.
Abstract
The authors tested whether a jurors’ pre-trial beliefs about the validity of a case, as well as a jurors’ general ideologies influenced their judgments about the guilt or innocence of the defendant. The hypothesis under investigation was that ideology biased systematic thought. The authors contend that a juror’s general ideological beliefs color the way in which they view the defendant, influencing their decision-making about the guilt or innocence of the defendant. One hundred and eighty-four female students who were enrolled in Introduction to Psychology participated in the experiment. Pre-testing yielded data concerning the participant’s prior sex-discrimination ideology and beliefs. Participants heard one of three cases and made a judgment about the case while under either time pressure or no time pressure. Results revealed validity beliefs had a direct influence on judgment only when the jurors were under time pressure. However, the authors discovered that a juror’s ideology directly influenced their judgment even under no time pressure. This research showed how jurors might at times be influenced by their prior beliefs about the case. More importantly, the authors showed how a person’s ideological views of the world always impact their thought processes. References