Graduation Year

2025

Document Type

Open Access Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Psychology

Reader 1

Jennifer Groscup

Reader 2

Egamaria Alacam

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© 2025 Mia J Draisin

Abstract

Conformity has been shown to influence decision-making due to informational (knowledge seeking) and normative (social pressure) influence. Majority size is also related to conforming tendencies. In addition, self-esteem has been found to have a relationship with conformity. Individuals with low self-esteem have a fear of social rejection and partake in conforming behaviors. This study will illuminate the juror decision-making process and how external factors impair jurors' impartiality. This study will investigate how a juror's self-esteem level and the size of the majority opinion influence their likelihood of conforming during deliberations. It is hypothesized that individuals will be more likely to conform when they have low self-esteem than when they have high self-esteem. Additionally, it is hypothesized that all individuals will be more likely to conform to the majority opinion when the majority is composed of 11 confederates than when the majority is composed of only 7 confederates and that self-esteem levels will moderate this effect such that this effect will be stronger for individuals who have lower levels of self-esteem. 600 18-65-year-olds will be recruited from a jury pool of candidates in a large populated city. Participants will complete several questionnaires, sit through an entire live mock trial, and deliberate on a verdict. This study will highlight some of the limitations in our current justice system and illustrate how factors unrelated to the case facts influence juror's decision-making.

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