Impact on Simulated Jurors of Testimony as a Function of Non-Evidential Characteristics of Witness and Defendant

Abstract

The impact on jurors' decision making of the non-evidential characteristics of witnesses' and defendant's attractiveness and the agreement of their testimony was explored in a 2 × 2 × 2 between-subjects factorial design. 48 undergraduates read a summary of a courtroom trial in which an eyewitness, who was either a professional (High Attractive) or laborer (Low Attractive), either agreed or disagreed with the testimony of a defendant whose character had been assessed positively (High Attractive) or negatively (Low Attractive). Dependent variables were subjects' verdicts and confidence in the witnesses' and defendant's testimony. Conflict in testimony between the witness and defendant led to higher ratings of guilt but lowered the subject's confidence in the testimony of both. A significant interaction of witness × defendant × testimony showed that ratings of guilt decreased when a witness testified against a defendant who was dissimilar in attractiveness; an unattractive witness supporting an attractive defendant also reduced assessment of guilt but an attractive witness who testified for an unattractive defendant increased findings of guilt. Results were discussed in the context of relevant research involving simulated jurors.