Effects of Prestige on Perceived Trustworthiness of Witnesses

Indianapolis, IN

Many studies have looked at the effect of false eyewitness testimony in the court system. Eyewitness testimony carries a lot of weight in determining the guilt of a defendant and their consequences if found guilty. This study examines how the variable of prestige (as manipulated by occupation) influences how jurors view the testimony of a person. This study has a 2 (Prestige: high/low) by 2 (Reason for Lying: personal gain/concern for other) design. After being randomly assigned to one of four conditions, participants will read the mock testimony from a witness. They will then rate the witness on multiple measures, including trustworthiness. Participants will then learn the witness lied in part of his testimony and his reasoning for the lie. They will then again make judgments about the witness. We predict that high prestige will be viewed as less likely to lie during court proceedings but that once they are deemed as lying, they will be judged more harshly than those with lower prestige in the community. This research has implications for how social status can affect jury decision making. Psychology