GROUP DISCUSSION AND THE INFLUENCE OF DEFENDANT CHARACTERISTICS IN A SIMULATED JURY SETTING

• NCJ Number: 16510
• Journal: Journal of Social Psychology Volume: 93, 2D HALF Dated: (AUGUST 1974) Pages: 271-279
• Author(s): R R IZZETT; W LEGINSKI
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 9 pages
• Corporate Author: Journal Press
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A STUDY INDICATING THAT GROUP DISCUSSION DAMPENS NEGATIVE REACTIONS AND DECISIONS OF INDIVIDUAL JURORS RELATIVE TO UNATTRACTIVE DEFENDANTS WHILE HOLDING DISPOSITIONS FOR LENIENCY TOWARD AN ATTRACTIVE DEFENDANT CONSTANT.

Abstract

GROUPS OF SUBJECTS FROM FOUR TO SIX IN NUMBER CONSIDERED A CASE CONCERNING NEGLIGENT AUTOMOBILE HOMICIDE. EACH PERSON WITHIN EACH GROUP RECEIVED AN IDENTICAL VERSION OF THE CASE INVOLVING EITHER AN ATTRECTIVE OR UNATTRACTIVE DEFENDANT. EACH INDIVIDUAL WAS ASKED TO SENTENCE THE DEFENDANT AFTER READING THE CASE. FOLLOWING THIS, ALL PERSONS WERE ASKED TO DISCUSS THE CASE WITHIN THE GROUP, AFTER WHICH EACH PERSON WAS TO CONSIDER AGAIN HIS RENDERING OF A SENTENCE. RESULTS INDICATED THAT PRIOR TO GROUP DISCUSSION PERSONS SENTENCED THE UNATTRACTIVE DEFENDANT TO A SIGNIFICANTLY LONGER PRISON TERM THAN THOSE EVALUATING TREATMENT OF THE ATTRACTIVE DEFENDANT. AFTER GROUP DISCUSSION THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT SHIFT TOWARD LENIENCY FOR THE UNATTRACTIVE DEFENDANT, WITH NO IMPORTANT CHANGE IN THE TREATMENT OF THE ATTRACTIVE DEFENDANT.