Reaching a Verdict - Stages and Influence on Decision Making

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  • Created by: Majid
  • Created on: 29-12-12 20:15

Stages and Influence on Decision Making

Stages and Influence on Decision Making - The only thing that should affect a jury when making a decision is the evidence. However there are certain Psychological factors which do affect because a jury is a social situation and as such the decision of individual jurors' could be influenced by others. When a jury has heard all the evidence they go in the deliberation room and try to reach a unanimous decision.

According to Hastie et al there are 3 stages involved in decision making; 1. Orientation Process - Discuss the evidence and take an initial vote. If initial vote is unanimous then the jury will have immediately reached a verdict. 2. Open Conflict - If however, initial vote isn't reached, group moves onto open conflict stage of decision making. Here the minority will be pressurised to conform to the majority view. In the second stage of decision making, open conflict (look above), several social processes can influence individual jurors' decisions:

  • e.g. Social Loafing - Where jurors' don't give a lot of thought into their decision making
  • Group Polarisation - This is where a group makes a risky decision e.g. Minority is being swayed to the decision the Majority have conformed to.

3.Reconciliation - Occurs when conflicts are settled and a veridict is reached.

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aisha

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could you please make an evaluation for asch and moscovici studies? i cant find them on here and you notes are really helpful please?

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