TY  - JOUR
PY  - 1998//
TI  - The Impact of Child Witness Demeanor on Perceived Credibility and Trial Outcome in Sexual Abuse Cases
JO  - Journal of family violence
A1  - Regan, Pamela C.
A1  - Baker, Sheri J.
SP  - 187
EP  - 195
VL  - 13
IS  - 2
N2  - We examined how child witness demeanor at the moment of courtroom confrontation with the defendant affects trial outcome and the perceived credibility of the child witness in sexual abuse cases. Phase 1 (descriptive) utilized a free response format to explore the affective and behavioral responses men and women expect a child victim of sexual assault to demonstrate upon first confronting the defendant in the courtroom. The most frequently cited responses included crying, fear, and confusion. Phase 2 (experimental) investigated the impact of presence or absence of one of these expected responses (i.e., crying) upon juror perceptions. Participants who read about a child who cries upon initially confronting the defendant perceived her as more honest, credible, and reliable than a calm child, and they were more likely to convict the defendant.<p />
LA  - en
SN  - 0885-7482
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1022845724226
ID  - ref1
ER  -