Younger and older jurors: The influence of environmental supports on memory performance and decision making in complex trials

This study compared memory and decision making by younger (aged 19-35) and older (aged 55-75) adults who had viewed a 2-hr video of a complex civil tr ial. Participants were tested for free recall, recognition memory, source i dentification, and the accuracy of their verdicts. The experiment manipulat ed (a) note taking during the trial and (b) timing of judicial instructions : either before (preinstructed) or after (standard) the presentation of rel evant evidence. Judicial instructions provide jurors with a framework for u nderstanding legal concepts such as liability and compensatory damages. Bot h younger and older adults provided more detailed and cohesive accounts whe n they were given judicial instructions before the evidence. Other benefits of preinstruction to memory and decision making were limited to older adul ts. Note-taking effects were generally limited but were consistent across a ge groups. The results highlight the potential value of relatively simple i nterventions for improving cognitive performance in a real-world setting.