NCJ Number
36703
Journal
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Volume: 33 Issue: 4 Dated: (APRIL 1976) Pages: 448-459
Date Published
1976
Length
12 pages
Annotation
STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF SEQUENTIAL ORDERING OF CRIMINAL CASES ON CRITICAL JUDGMENTS AND DECISIONS BEARING ON THE CRIME AND THE OFFENDER.
Abstract
THE STUDY WAS UNDERTAKEN TO TEST THE HYPOTHESIS THAT WHEN THERE IS DISCREPANCY IN MAGNITUDE BETWEEN TWO CRIMES, JUDGMENTS OF THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE SECOND ARE DISPLACED AWAY FROM THE FIRST CRIME TO A SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER EXTENT THAN WHEN THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE IN MAGNITUDE BETWEEN THEM. MALE UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATES WERE RECRUITED BY TELEPHONE FROM A FILE OF VOLUNTEERS AND ASKED TO MAKE JUDGMENTS OF TWO SEQUENTIAL CRIMINAL CASES INVOLVING ASSAULT AND HOMICIDE. THESE WERE PRESENTED TO THE SUBJECTS IN ONE OF FOUR SEQUENCES OF CRIMES UNDER EITHER ANCHORED OR UNANCHORED CONDITIONS. RESULTS CONFIRMED THAT JUDGMENTS OF THE MORAL CHARACTER AND PERSONAL ADAPTABILITY WERE HIGHER OR LOWER DEPENDING UPON THE DIRECTION OF THE CONTRASTED SERIOUSNESS JUDGMENTS. IT WAS FURTHER FOUND THAT THE MAGNITUDE OF PUNISHMENT RECOMMENDED FOR THE OFFENDER WAS INCREASED OR DECREASED AS A FUNCTION OF THE CONTRASTED SERIOUSNESS OF THE CRIMES. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THE FINDINGS OF THIS STUDY LEND SUPPORT TO THE QUANTITY ORIENTED THEORY OF SOCIAL JUDGMENT WHICH STATES THAT JUDGMENTAL CONTRASTS INVOLVE ACTUAL CHANGES IN THE PERCEIVED MAGNITUDE OF THE CONTRASTED STIMULUS.