Date of Award
2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Psychology
Committee Chair
Lauren Meaux
Committee Member
Jodi Price
Committee Member
Shauna Bowes
Research Advisor
Lauren Meaux
Subject(s)
Jurors--Decision making--Psychological aspects, Criminal intent, Insanity (Law), Insanity defense
Abstract
Juror decision-making in cases involving mental illness is shaped by legal understanding and subjective attitudes. This study examined how juror attitudes and jury instruction type influence the application of mens rea defenses—Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity (NGRI), Diminished Capacity (DC), and Guilty but Mentally Ill (GBMI)—in criminal case vignettes involving defendants with mental health presentations. Enhanced jury instructions improved understanding of mens rea concepts but did not improve the application of these concepts to verdict decisions. Biases against mens rea defenses were associated with DC verdict decisions, with more negative NGRI attitudes predicting less legally accurate but more confident judgments. Factors not related to legal understanding, such as personal attitudes or beliefs about mental illness, may have a stronger influence on jurors' verdict decisions.
Recommended Citation
O'Connell, Victoria E., "The impact of pre-trial attitudes and educational jury instructions : juror decision-making in mens rea cases involving mental illness" (2026). Theses. 807.
https://louis.uah.edu/uah-theses/807