THE IMPACT OF ACQUAINTANCE RAPE STORIES AND CASE-SPECIFIC PRETRIAL PUBLICITY ON JUROR DECISION-MAKING

In the first of two experimental trial simulations, the authors manipu lated exposure to publicity about the defendant and exposure to genera l stories about acquaintance rape that portrayed melt as sexual predat ors. Participants then viewed an enacted acquaintance rape trial. Acro ss many dependent measures, men exposed to the predatory rape publicit y exhibited a pronounced pro-defendant tendency, whereas women were un affected. Case-specific pretrial publicity had a relatively small impa ct. In a follow-up experiment, participants were exposed to the predat ory acquaintance rape scenario or to a scenario emphasizing male-femal e miscommunication. Again, men exposed to the predatory publicity beca me more pro-defendant; men receiving the miscommunication scenario did not exhibit such an effect. The tendency of male jurors to react agai nst information that reflects negatively on them is discussed in the c ontext of psychological reactance and social judgment theory.