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Asymmetric influence in mock jury deliberation: Jurors' bias for leniency.

MacCoun, Robert J., Kerr, Norbert L. (1988) Asymmetric influence in mock jury deliberation: Jurors' bias for leniency. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54 (1). pp. 21-33. ISSN 0022-3514. E-ISSN 1939-1315. (doi:10.1037/0022-3514.54.1.21) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:42530)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.54.1.21

Abstract

Investigators have frequently noted a leniency bias in mock jury research, in which deliberation appears to induce greater leniency in criminal mock jurors. One manifestation of this bias, the asymmetry effect, suggests that proacquittal factions are more influential than proconviction factions of comparable size. A meta-analysis indicated that these asymmetry effects are reliable across a variety of experimental contexts. Exp I examined the possibility that the leniency bias is restricted to the typical college-student subject population. The decisions of college-student and community mock jurors in groups beginning deliberation with equal faction sizes (viz., 2:2) were compared. The magnitude of the asymmetry effect did not differ between the two populations. In Exp II, Ss received either reasonable-doubt or preponderance-of-evidence instructions. After providing initial verdict preferences, some Ss deliberated in groups composed with an initial 2:2 split, whereas other Ss privately generated arguments for each verdict option. A significant asymmetry was found for groups in the reasonable-doubt condition, but group verdicts were symmetrical under the preponderance-of-evidence instructions. Shifts toward leniency in individual verdict preferences occurred for group members, but not for subjects who performed the argument-generation task.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1037/0022-3514.54.1.21
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Psychology
Depositing User: M.L. Barnoux
Date Deposited: 21 Aug 2014 10:42 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 10:16 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/42530 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Kerr, Norbert L..

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