Effects of Physical Attractiveness, Sex, and Type of Crime on Mock Juror Decisions

Abstract

A study previously conducted with American college students was replicated with Chinese college students. The Chinese subjects read a description of either a burglary or a swindle where the defendant was either male or female, physically attractive or unattractive, and Chinese or American. A biographical sketch and a photograph of the defendant were attached to the description of the crime. Subjects were asked to indicate the length of sentence appropriate for the crime, rate the seriousness of the crime, and rate the defendant on 12 personal characteristics. Results indicated that (a) female subjects gave longer sentences for the crime of burglary but only when the defendant was American; (b) attractiveness was associated with lenient sentencing for American burglars but with stringent sentencing for American swindlers; (c) Chinese women gave more lenient sentences to female defendants than to male defendants; (d) American defendants, regardless of the crime, were rated more than favorably than Chinese defendants; (e) attractive defendants were rated more favorably on 6 of the 12 personal characteristics; and (f) the swindler was rated more favorably than the burglar on 7 of the 12 personal characteristics.