Does a defendant’s gender and/or sexual orientation affect jurors’ decision making during intimate partner violence cases?
Does a defendant’s gender and/or sexual orientation affect judges’ sentencing making during intimate partner violence cases?
Rationale
Understanding the mindset of jurors is important when trying to understand how legal system and justice will be implemented within courtrooms. If mental biases are present within jurors, this can affect how justice is granted to defendants and the defendant’s alleged victims. Sex (and gender) can play an important role in everyday society. For example, quick decision about a person can be made based solely on that person’s gender and sexual orientation. …show more content…
The first experiment will focuses on jury decision making. This experiment design is a 2 Sex (Male or Female) x 2 Sexual Orientation (Heterosexual or Gay) between-subjects ANOVA. The second experiment will focus on judge sentencing making, and this experiment will also be a 2 Sex (Male or Female) x 2 Sexual Orientation (Heterosexual or Gay) between-subjects ANOVA
Research Hypothesis
I believe that gender and sexual orientation will affect how jurors’ during intimate partner violence cases. Specifically I believe that jurors will give lenient penalties towards female defendants than male defendants and more lenient towards gay defendant.
I believe that internalize views about sex and gender, and socialization on intimate partner violence will shift the jurors to believe that a heterosexual male should be punished more severely than a woman or a gay individual.
Population of Interest
This study will aid researchers, and practitioners, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges. This study will aid prosecutor and defense attorneys during jury selection.
Potential Sample
Undergraduate and graduate college students at the University of Maryland who are legally allowed to serve on a