Race, socio-economic status, and perceived similarity as determinants of judgments by simulated jurors

Eighty-four simulated jurors judged a defendant on trial for armed robbery after reading trial transcripts and other background information in a 2 × 2 factorial design which varied the defendant’s race and socioeconomic status (SES). Higher SES (middle class) defendants were judged less guilty and assigned fewer years in prison than low SES defendants regardless of race. A race x SES interaction on attributed blameworthiness of the defendant, which was inversely related to the jurors’ judgments of the defendant’s similarity to them, was also found. Theoretical and methodological implications of these findings for jury simulation studies are discussed.