Question

One juror does not agree that the defendant has been shown to be guilty "beyond a reasonable

doubt." Based on the research of Solomon Asch (the line length perception study), the juror
would be less likely to conform eventually to the verdict of the majority if

a. he or she is "doubt-ridden."
b. the juror is a female.
c. one other juror decides the dissenter is right.
d. the evidence clearly supports the majority decision.

Answer 1

Solomon Asch's research indicates that a juror would be less likely to conform to the majority's verdict if they had at least one other juror who shared their dissenting view.

Step-by-step explanation:

Social Influence and Jury Deliberation

Based on the research of Solomon Asch and the concept of conformity, a juror would be less likely to eventually conform to the verdict of the majority if c. one other juror decides the dissenter is right. This is because Asch's experiment demonstrated that having at least one ally significantly reduces the pressure to conform, making it easier to maintain a dissenting opinion against a majority. Asch discovered that when subjects had even a single ally who also dissented, they were far more likely to give the correct answer and resist conformity compared to being a minority of one.

Specifically, jurors are less likely to conform if they do not agree on a verdict unanimously. In a jury, the decision must typically be unanimous, and the presence of a second dissenter can empower others to speak out more freely and challenge the majority view.