HOW WELL DO JURORS REASON - COMPETENCE DIMENSIONS OF INDIVIDUAL VARIATION IN A JUROR REASONING TASK

Significant individual variation is observed in how people reason as j urors. At the satisficing end of a continuum we identify, the juror dr aws on evidence selectivity to construct a single story of what happen ed, with no acknowledgement of discrepant evidence or alternative poss ibilities. A contrasting theory-evidence coordination mode of processi ng entails construction of multiple theories (story-verdict constellat ions) that are evaluated against the evidence and against alternatives . Individual differences influence task outcome, the satisficing mode being associated with more extreme verdict choices and very high certa inty.