Emotional Presentation Can Alter Processing of Evidence in Criminal Cases
Steven M. Estrada, Shannon D. Johnson, Lisa D. Topp-Manriquez, and Emily S. Sutton

Abstract
The study investigated how evidence presentation can influence judgments of guilt and suggested sentencing in cases of criminality. Participants read a vignette presenting details for a crime of murder that varied in emotionality, amount of evidence, and the strength of the evidence. Participants’ verdicts of guilt, suggested sentencing, perceptions of the amount and strength of evidence, and emotionality of the crime were recorded. The key prediction was that emotions would increase guilty verdicts independent of the strength and amount of evidence, and further, bias suggested sentencing. No effect of emotionality on guilt was found, however, greater emotionality significantly increased suggested sentencing. The findings suggest that emotional language can influence jurors’ decisions, independent of the evidence, thereby providing one mechanism for bias found the judicial system. Future studies should examine whether emotional presentation differs across race and SES, and the degree to which this difference affects verdicts of guilt and sentencing.

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