Shaping Mock Juror's Judgements: The Role of Individual Differences in Disgust Sensitivity and Valence Weighting Bias
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Date
2021-05
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The Ohio State University
Abstract
Jurors vary in their attitudes and biases related to criminal cases. Given high conviction rates in the U.S., it is important to understand factors that shape jurors' attitudes and ultimate punitiveness. Disgust sensitivity, the extent to which individuals experience the emotion of disgust, and valence weighting bias, an attitude generalization process, both may play an important role in shaping jurors' decisions. Across two studies we find consistent evidence to support the idea that individuals characterized by greater disgust sensitivity tend to have more punitive attitudes. Valence weighting bias showed inconsistent effects on juror bias, a finding we believe should be explored in more detail in the future. This research suggests that disgust sensitivity plays an important role in shaping jurors' attitudes, with individuals high in disgust sensitivity being more likely to reach punitive judgments about potential criminals.
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Keywords
valence weighting bias, disgust sensitivity, juror bias, punitiveness