NCJ Number
136657
Journal
Law and Psychology Review Volume: 15 Dated: (Spring 1991) Pages: 163-184
Date Published
1991
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This article examines the factors that influence jury decision-making processes.
Abstract
Social and behavioral science research identify four critical factors as influential in juror verdicts: psychological, cognitive, personality, and interpersonal. Considerable evidence exists that psychological factors influence juror decision-making. A complex interaction of emotions, causal attribution, the impact of damage requests, and the perception of well-endowed litigants affect jury verdicts and subsequent damage awards. The capacity to comprehend, to retain information, and to deal with cognitive dissonance all affect verdict decisions. Intellectual and personality features may affect a juror's susceptibility to persuasive arguments. Finally, the impression attorneys and witnesses make on jurors from an interpersonal standpoint as well as jury composition also influence a jury's final verdict. Factors other than hard evidence intervene when human beings are called upon to judge the actions and intentions of others, and litigators need to critically evaluate their case with regard to these factors. 56 footnotes