Vol. 20/No. 4 November 2008 Archive

  • There is only one true measure of a good legal graphic: does it persuade the trier of fact to “buy in” to your client’s point of view? That, after all, is the point of any courtroom presentation, and it makes no sense to spend your time (or your client’s money) […]

    Discover the Power of Conceptual Persuasion

    by Karyn J. Taylor There is only one true measure of a good legal graphic: does it persuade the trier of fact to “buy in” to your client’s point of view? That, after all, is the point of any courtroom presentation, and it makes no sense to spend your time (or your client’s money) […]

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  • How do male and female jurors react to a woman who has been successful in a traditionally masculine domain?    Research in social psychology consistently finds that both males and females characterize women who have been successful in male-dominated fields as cold, unlikable businesswomen. However, the motivation behind this derogation […]

    Anticipate and Influence Juror Reactions to Successful Women

    by Elizabeth J. Parks-Stamm How do male and female jurors react to a woman who has been successful in a traditionally masculine domain?    Research in social psychology consistently finds that both males and females characterize women who have been successful in male-dominated fields as cold, unlikable businesswomen. However, the motivation behind this derogation […]

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  • Like lab rats hunger for food, people who judge a moral wrongdoing may hunger for the wrongdoer’s punishment.  Neuro-imaging research even confirms that anticipation of a wrongdoer’s punishment activates a “pleasure center” of the brain (de Quervain, et al., 2004). Simply put, people are driven by punitive motivation. Also like […]

    Do Liberals and Conservatives Punish Differently?

    by Bryan L. Koenig, M.A. Like lab rats hunger for food, people who judge a moral wrongdoing may hunger for the wrongdoer’s punishment.  Neuro-imaging research even confirms that anticipation of a wrongdoer’s punishment activates a “pleasure center” of the brain (de Quervain, et al., 2004). Simply put, people are driven by punitive motivation. Also like […]

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  • For years we have been reading generalizations about the Generations. Boomers are supposed to be the most generous. The Post-War Generation is more conservative. The claim is that the Generation into which we are born shapes our values. Economic, political and social events influence a person’s point of view. While […]

    What Does a Juror’s Generation Mean to Trial Consultants?

    by Patricia McEvoy, Ph.D. and Eliza Shepherd For years we have been reading generalizations about the Generations. Boomers are supposed to be the most generous. The Post-War Generation is more conservative. The claim is that the Generation into which we are born shapes our values. Economic, political and social events influence a person’s point of view. While […]

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  • Editors Note: Following publication of our September 2008 feature on the preparation of narcissistic witnesses, Doug Keene received queries about how to conduct cross-examination with a narcissistic witness. This brief article addresses questions on how to approach this challenging cross-examination process.    Have faith It is natural to fear that […]

    Cross-Examination of the Narcissistic Witness

    by Douglas L. Keene, Ph.D. Editors Note: Following publication of our September 2008 feature on the preparation of narcissistic witnesses, Doug Keene received queries about how to conduct cross-examination with a narcissistic witness. This brief article addresses questions on how to approach this challenging cross-examination process.    Have faith It is natural to fear that […]

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  • The Jury Judged:  A Book Review   American Juries:  The Verdict.  (2007).  Neil Vidmar and Valerie P. Hans.  Prometheus Books: New York.     American juries cannot stay out of the spotlight.  Go back before Scott Peterson.  Go back before the famous white Bronco.  Go back nearly one hundred fifty […]

    The American Jury: A Book Review

    by Kevin R. Boully, Ph.D. The Jury Judged:  A Book Review   American Juries:  The Verdict.  (2007).  Neil Vidmar and Valerie P. Hans.  Prometheus Books: New York.     American juries cannot stay out of the spotlight.  Go back before Scott Peterson.  Go back before the famous white Bronco.  Go back nearly one hundred fifty […]

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  •   Ain't no living in a perfect world. But we’ll keep on dreaming of living in a perfect world.– Huey Lewis   In a perfectly just world, jurors motivated by perfect justice would make consistently well-reasoned judgments based on the law, the evidence and unbiased wisdom. By contrast, “Just World […]

    Just World Jurors

    by Alison K. Bennett, M.S.   Ain't no living in a perfect world. But we’ll keep on dreaming of living in a perfect world.– Huey Lewis   In a perfectly just world, jurors motivated by perfect justice would make consistently well-reasoned judgments based on the law, the evidence and unbiased wisdom. By contrast, “Just World […]

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