EFFECTS OF PHYSICAL ATTRACTIVENESS, SEX, AND TYPE OF CRIME ON MOCK JUROR DECISIONS - A REPLICATION WITH CHINESE STUDENTS

A study previously conducted with American college students was replic ated with Chinese college students. The Chinese subjects read a descri ption of either a burglary or a swindle where the defendant was either male or female, physically attractive or unattractive, and Chinese or American. A biographical sketch and a photograph of the defendant wer e attached to the description of the crime. Subjects were asked to ind icate the length of sentence appropriate for the crime, rate the serio usness of the crime, and rate the defendant on 12 personal characteris tics. Results indicated that (a) female subjects gave longer sentences for the crime of burglary but only when the defendant was American; ( b) attractiveness was associated with lenient sentencing for American burglars but with stringent sentencing for American swindlers; (c) Chi nese women gave more lenient sentences to female defendants than to ma le defendants; (d) American defendants, regardless of the crime, were rated more than favorably than Chinese defendants; (e) attractive defe ndants were rated mom favorably on 6 of the 12 personal characteristic s; and (f) the swindler was rated mom favorably than the burglar on 7 of the 12 personal characteristics.