Date of Award

3-2-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Department

Graduate Department of Clinical Psychology

First Advisor

Rodger Bufford

Second Advisor

Carilyn Ellis

Third Advisor

Hailey Drescher

Abstract

Biases, generally defined as predispositions or inclinations for or against ideas, is a broadly prevalent aspect of human cognition and decision-making (Steinhauser, 2020). Bias is present in every decision-making structure, even those in which we strive for the greatest neutrality, such as the legal system (Alter, 2010). An especially important place to seek to minimize or eliminate bias is in the courtroom. Our justice system is built upon the assumption of impartiality and nonpartisanship (Rosenberg, 2008), yet biases and stereotypical decision- making are common criticisms of the court (Curley et al., 2022; Chopp, 2017). This study attempts to identify the main sources of bias and prejudice that influence attorneys during the voir dire (jury selection) process of a trial. We recruited law students to respond to categorical and continuous variables that aimed to identify potential bias and prejudice of future attorneys toward potential jurors (Kovera & Austin, 2016). We also recruited jury eligible citizens to respond to basic political and other ideological leanings, and to identify how they lean in terms of conviction and favorability. The attorney’s goal is to establish how a juror would lean toward a defendant during voir dire (Mulvaney & Little, 2015; Erick, 2023). Only one significant correlation and one predictor were found using Pearson correlations and regression analyses. For juror two, the attorney’s perceived compassion level of the juror was a significant predictor of the analogue attorney’s decision to empanel the prospective analogue juror (β = 0.885, p = .015). This finding suggests that prospective juror’s characteristics may at times influence empanelment decisions (Bray & Noble, 1978; Norton & Sommers, 2008). Future studies will build on the current sample to able to determine any correlations or predictors emerge when greater power is available.

Comments

attorney bias, voir dire, jury selection, legal bias

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