NCJ Number
54031
Journal
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Volume: 36 Issue: 4, Dated: (APRIL 1978) Pages: 436-450
Date Published
1978
Length
15 pages
Annotation
AN AVERAGING MODEL OF INFORMATION INTEGRATION WAS USED TO ANALYZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF JURORS' PRESUMPTIONS OF GUILT OR INNOCENCE IN EVALUATING SETS OF TRIAL EVIDENCE IN A STUDY INVOLVING 80 COLLEGE STUDENTS.
Abstract
THE FIRST PORTION OF THE PAPER EXPLAINS THE USE OF AN AVERAGING MODEL TO IDENTIFY FOUR CONCEPTIONS OF JUROR FAIRMINDEDNESS: (1) ASSUMPTION OF NEITHER GUILT NOR INNOCENCE; (2) AN ATTEMPT TO BE AS OBJECTIVE AS POSSIBLE ABOUT THE INITIAL OPINION REGARDING GUILT; (3) A PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE; AND (4) AN ATTEMPT TO IGNORE THE INITIAL DISPOSITION WHATEVER IT MAY BE. THE MODEL THEN IS USED TO PROVIDE A QUANTITATIVE SOLUTION FOR DETERMINING WEIGHTS AND SCALE VALUES IN A FUNCTIONAL MEASUREMENT OF THE DECISION OUTCOME. THE MODEL WAS TESTED WITH DATA OBTAINED BY ASKING 80 MALE AND FEMALE COLLEGE STUDENTS TO ESTIMATE THE LIKELIHOOD OF GUILT FOR 18 DIFFERENT DEFENDANTS. THE STUDENTS WORKED THEIR WAY THROUGH BOOKLETS CONTAINING INFORMATION WHICH VARIED BY TYPE OF CASE, AMOUNT OF TRIAL EVIDENCE, AND INCRIMINATION VALUE OF TRIAL EVIDENCE. AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK, THEY WERE ASKED TO RENDER VERDICTS. THE DATA INDICATED THAT MOST OF THE STUDENTS PRESUMED THE DEFENDANTS TO BE INNOCENT BEFORE THE TRIAL EVIDENCE WAS PRESENTED. A BRIEF ATTITUDE SCALE ADMINISTERED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE STUDY CLASSIFIED THE STUDENTS AS GENERALLY PRODEFENDANT OR ANTIDEFENDANT. SURPRISINGLY, ANTIDEFENDANT SUBJECTS ADOPTED A MORE LENIENT INITIAL DISPOSITION THAN PRODEFENDANT SUBJECTS. HOWEVER, THEY MORE READILY ABANDONED THEIR PRESUMPTIONS OF INNOCENCE WHEN INCRIMINATING EVIDENCE WAS PRESENTED AND MORE OFTEN JUDGED THE DEFENDANT GUILTY. AN APPENDIX CONTAINS FURTHER MATHEMATICAL DISCUSSION OF THE MODEL. CHARTS AND GRAPHS ILLUSTRATE THE DISCUSSION. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (GLR)