Maybe Looks and Money are Everything: Do Physical Attractiveness and Socioeconomic Status of a Male Defendant Affect His Verdict and Judicial Rulings?

Abstract

Whenever someone is taken into police custody, he or she is advised of his or her Miranda Rights, including the fact that anything he or she says can and will be used against him or her in a court of law. Could something they did not say also be held against them? This research sought to find whether physical attractiveness and socioeconomic status of a male defendant would have any significant effect on a jury's ruling. It was found that physical attractiveness and job status do play a small but significant role in the assignment of guilt in a sexual assault case.

Notes

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Thesis Completion

2006

Semester

Fall

Advisor

Smither, Janan

Degree

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

College

College of Sciences

Degree Program

Psychology

Subjects

Dissertations, Academic -- Sciences; Sciences -- Dissertations, Academic; Jury -- Decision making; Trials (Rape); Verdicts

Format

Print

Identifier

DP0022103

Language

English

Access Status

Open Access

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Document Type

Honors in the Major Thesis

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