A Simulated Jury Study: Characteristics of the Defendant and the Jurors

Summary In the present study, two samples of subjects differing in class and political orientation were tested in a simulated jury situation. The defendant, accused of negligent homicide, varied in the characteristics of race and attractiveness. Mean sentencing of the defendant was found to be a function of the characteristics of the jurors and of the attractiveness of the defendant. No main effect for race of the defendant was found. Further, a significant interaction between the subject sample—i.e. the jurors—and attractiveness of the defendant and between the subject sample and race of the defendant was found. The latter findings were discussed with reference to the child-rearing literature on class differences.