discussion post

authoritarianism

A set of beliefs and characteristics that includes submissiveness to authority, demands for obedience from subordinates, intolerance of minorities and other outgroups, and endorsement of the use of power and punishment to ensure conformity to conventional norms.

bench trial

A trial in which the judge determines the verdict.

black sheep effect

The tendency to be more punitive toward those members of one’s group who violate the norms of the group.

challenges for cause

Occurring during jury selection, such challenges can be made by an attorney seeking to excuse a potential juror on grounds of bias. In addition, a judge may excuse a prospective juror for cause without a request to do so from either attorney. There is no limit on the number of challenges for cause that an attorney can make (by contrast, see “peremptory challenges”).

change of venue

Moving a trial to another locality, usually because extensive pretrial publicity has prevented the assembling of an unbiased jury.

cognizable groups

Specific groups of persons, usually defined by demographic characteristics such as race or gender.

evaluation apprehension

Concern about the ways that others evaluate us.

Five-Factor Model of personality

This descriptive model includes five broad factors or dimensions of personality. The personality dimensions (OCEAN) include Openness (intellect), Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism (or emotional stability).

generic prejudice

Prejudice arising from media coverage of issues not specifically related to a particular case but thematically relevant to the issues at hand.

implicit personality theory

A person’s preconceptions about how certain attributes are related to one another and to behavior.

jury sentiments

Situations in which, in the judge’s view, the jury’s verdict was detrimentally affected by factors beyond the evidence and the law.

Need for Cognition

The inclination to engage in and enjoy effortful cognitive work.

peremptory challenges

Opportunities available to each attorney during jury selection to exclude potential jurors without having to give any reason. Their number, determined by the judge, varies from one jurisdiction to another.

pro bono

Without charge. A shortened version of pro bono publico, meaning “for the public good.”

scientific jury selection

A process used by social scientists when acting as jury selection consultants. These consultants use empirically based procedures such as focus groups, shadow juries, systematic ratings of prospective jurors, and surveys of the community.

selection effects

The ways in which the selection of cases tried by juries differs from those tried by judges.

similarity–leniency hypothesis

The idea that fact finders treat those similar to themselves more leniently than they treat those they perceive as different from themselves.

social desirability effect

People’s wishes to present themselves in a socially appropriate and favorable way and the influence of such wishes on their behavior.

social judgments

Judgments incorporating information about social categories, such as race and gender.

source monitoring

The ability to accurately identify the source of one’s memory.

specific pretrial publicity

Media coverage concerning the details of one specific case prior to trial.

venire

A panel of prospective jurors drawn from a large list.

voir dire

The process by which the judge and/or attorneys ask potential jurors questions and attempt to uncover any biases.