Criminal identity: The key to situational construals in mock criminal court cases

A number of researchers have explored legal decision making, attempting to predict factors that influence sentencing. For example, Dunning (1986) focu sed on one major factor, the decision maker's construal of the crime. Dunni ng's research demonstrated the importance of construals (filling in of info rmation) in sentencing decisions; however, he was unable to identify what p redicts these construals. Here we apply affect control theory to predict co nstruals. Study 1 focuses on mock jurors' sentencing of a guilty offender; it tests hypotheses generated from affect control theory that link emotion displays to construals through inferences about the criminal's identity. Pa th analyses demonstrate that construals can be explained by inferences abou t the criminal's identity. Study 2 introduces concrete information about pr ior record. Results suggest that identity inferences still remain important in forming construals when prior record information is available. These st udies provide more evidence for the importance of social perceptions in leg al decision making.