Doctoral Dissertation Research: Religious Appeals in Closing Arguments

本研究将确定律师在结案陈词中使用的宗教和非宗教申诉是否会影响陪审员的决策。认知-经验自我理论（CEST）预测，宗教诉求引起的影响会导致个体以经验（即依赖情感）而不是理性（即依赖逻辑）处理信息。本研究将使用CEST来确定宗教申诉是否影响处理类型并导致以法律不允许的方式做出决定。最后，该项目将调查有关如何作出量刑决定的指示的影响。实验方法采用书面审判摘要，编辑陪审团指示和裁决表格，所有这些都是基于实际审判。参赛者将阅读摘要和说明，并在判决书上注明他们的量刑决定。参与者还将完成一项书面任务，旨在衡量所使用的决策策略类型。

This study will determine whether religious and non-religious appeals used by lawyers in closing arguments affect the decision-making of jurors. Cognitive-experiential self-theory (CEST) predicts that affect caused by religious appeals will lead individuals to process information experientially (i.e. relying on emotions) instead of rationally (i.e. relying on logic). This study will use CEST to determine whether religious appeals influence processing type and lead to decisions made in legally impermissible ways. Finally, the project will investigate the effects of directives regarding how to make the sentencing decision. The experimental methodology employs a written trial summary, edited jury instructions, and a verdict form, all of which are based on an actual trial. Participants will read the summary and instructions and will indicate their sentencing decisions on the verdict form. Participants will also complete a written task designed to measure type of decision-making strategy used.