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Published on: March 25, 2011
Visual evidence
1Quinnipiac University School of Law, Hamden, Connecticut 06518-1908, USA. neal.feigenson@quinnipiac.edu
Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
|April 13, 2010
Summary
Visual evidence in court impacts legal decisions, but its effects vary. While sometimes aiding understanding, it can also introduce biases and emotional responses, influencing judgment unpredictably.
Area of Science:
- Legal Psychology
- Cognitive Science
- Forensic Science
Background:
- Increasing use of visual and demonstrative evidence in legal proceedings.
- Limited experimental research on the impact of visual evidence in courtrooms.
- Uncertainty regarding the mechanisms and conditions under which visual evidence influences legal decision-making.
Purpose of the Study:
- To survey existing research on the effects of visual evidence in legal settings.
- To identify circumstances where visual evidence influences legal judgments.
- To explore how visual evidence impacts cognitive processes and decision outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of experimental studies on visual evidence.
- Analysis of research on photographs, videos, computer animations, and PowerPoint presentations.
- Synthesis of findings on the psychological effects of visual aids in legal contexts.
Main Results:
- Visual evidence affects legal decisions inconsistently across different situations.
- Evidence can enhance recall and understanding but also trigger emotional responses and cognitive biases.
- Impact depends on factors like the type of visual evidence and its presentation.
Conclusions:
- Visual evidence is a double-edged sword in legal decision-making.
- Its effectiveness is contingent on specific contextual factors and potential biases.
- Further experimental research is needed to fully understand and mitigate negative impacts.
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