TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of considering who and why the defendant attacked
AU - Heath, Wendy P.
AU - Grannemann, Bruce D.
AU - Peacock, Michelle A.
AU - Dulyx, Jennyfer
PY - 2001/4
Y1 - 2001/4
N2 - Some people who are accused of a crime admit to the act, but provide an excuse. The effects of an excuse's self-inflictedness level (high, moderate, or low) and the type of victim attacked (one partially responsible for the defendant's excusing condition, or innocent victim) were investigated. After a pretest (N = 26) to choose stimuli, participants (N = 220) read a scenario in which a male attacks another and then, once on trial, gives an excuse for his act. Those giving highly vs. less self-inflicted excuses were more likely to receive a guilty verdict, received higher guilt level ratings, and tended to receive longer sentences; those who hurt an innocent vs. a partially responsible victim were more likely to be found guilty. In addition, the defendant's sentence was influenced by both the type of victim and the self-inflictedness level of the excuse. The influence of perceived responsibility for an act on jurors' decisions is discussed.
AB - Some people who are accused of a crime admit to the act, but provide an excuse. The effects of an excuse's self-inflictedness level (high, moderate, or low) and the type of victim attacked (one partially responsible for the defendant's excusing condition, or innocent victim) were investigated. After a pretest (N = 26) to choose stimuli, participants (N = 220) read a scenario in which a male attacks another and then, once on trial, gives an excuse for his act. Those giving highly vs. less self-inflicted excuses were more likely to receive a guilty verdict, received higher guilt level ratings, and tended to receive longer sentences; those who hurt an innocent vs. a partially responsible victim were more likely to be found guilty. In addition, the defendant's sentence was influenced by both the type of victim and the self-inflictedness level of the excuse. The influence of perceived responsibility for an act on jurors' decisions is discussed.
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1559-1816.2001.tb01417.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1559-1816.2001.tb01417.x
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0035297812
SN - 0021-9029
VL - 31
SP - 860
EP - 887
JO - Journal of Applied Social Psychology
JF - Journal of Applied Social Psychology
IS - 4
ER -