Doctoral Dissertation Research: Determinant of Construal Formations and Influences on Verdict and Sentencing: An Affect Control Model

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9400811 Smith-Lovin This is an award under the Grants for Improving Doctoral Dissertation Research program. It is a study of how emotional displays affect how individuals construe ambiguous information in order to assess a social situation. Social psychological experiments will be conducted in which observers will view actors on videotape portraying alleged criminals and victims of their crimes. By varying the emotional tone of the statements of the actors, differences in how experimental subjects assess the nature of the criminal situation and recommend verdicts and sentences will be assessed. Previous attempts to verify affect control theory in experimental situations have been relatively unsuccessful. This project will subject predictions of that theory to more rigorous tests. In addition, this research should answer important questions about how members of juries resolve ambiguities and reach decisions in criminal trials. In addition to the scientific gains to be achieved by the research, this award will materially assist a highly promising student in completing research for the Ph. D. dissertation. Thus it contributes to the future scientific manpower of the nation and the thorough training of the next generation of social scientists. ***