The identifiable victim effect suggests that images of murder victims taken before their deaths can increase positive perceptions of those victims, potentially influencing jurors’ decision-making. We investigated whether viewing pre-mortem photographs of murder victims biased jurors’ perceptions of the victim, and consequently their judgments of the defendant. Across three between-subjects experimental studies (total Ns = 2,456), participants who viewed pre-mortem photographs of the victim (vs. did not view) rated the victim more positively. These more positive perceptions, in turn, predicted a higher likelihood of rendering guilty verdicts. Notably, the effect was stronger for White and Black victims than for Latina victims. These findings suggest that even well-intentioned uses of pre-mortem photographs may inadvertently bias jurors and contribute to racial disparities in the administration of justice.
Phalen et al. (Fri,) studied this question.