What Effects Does Social Pressure Have on Jury Decisions?

Societies widespread use of groups could be taken as evidence that in general better decisions might emerge from groups than from individuals acting on their own. In England, juries deliberate in secret and are accountable to no one, so sometimes the verdicts seem irrational.
Kalven & Zeisel (1966) defined the liberation hypothesis. This is the theory that all jurors have already made up their decision before they go into deliberation. They then listen to each others verdicts but try to convert them to their way of thinking. …