Symbolism in the Courtroom: an Examination of the Influence of Non-verbal Cues in a District Court Setting on Juror Ability to Focus on the Evidence

Symbolism in the courtroom has been the subject of legal debate for some time. Such symbolism includes the layout of the courtroom, clothes worn by legal representatives and expected behaviours of those in the setting. Until now there has been no formal study on the influence of symbolic cues in the courtroom on lay individuals who enter the setting. Jurors in particular, are a group of lay individualswhose limited understanding of symbolism in the courtroom might influence their ability to focus on the evidence. Using nvironmental psychological theories, this research examined how jurors responded to the courtroom setting. A particular focus was how the juror experience in the setting of which they were relatively naïve, influenced their ability to perform their role as a juror. With some adjustment, the continued use of symbolic representations in the courtroom is encouraged as the formal nature of the setting promotes juror focus on the evidence. This book is addressed to professionals, including lawyers, particularly those who desire a better understanding of juror sychology, environmental psychologists, courtroom architects, and court administrators.