Ecological Validity:
- Due to mock trials needing to be used – a lack of ecological validity is the main criticism of research in this area.
- E.g. Pennington and Hastie used a lab experiment – not a control group
- Real-life trials go on for weeks; mock trials are only a short process
- No emotion involved – as no ‘live’ witnesses are presented
- The livelihood of the defendant will not be hanging in the balance of the jury’s decision.
Several differences exists between real trials and mock trials:
- The livelihood of the defendant will not be hanging in the balance of the jury’s decision
- Real trials can go on for weeks. A mock trial will be a very short process in comparison
- Mock jurors will often simply have to read evidence, rather than it being presented by ‘live’ witnesses – less emotion
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