Expectations of Emotions during Testimony: The Role of Communicator and Perceiver Characteristics. (28th November 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bederian‐Gardner, Daniel; Goldfarb, Deborah; Hobbs, Sue D.; Goodman, Gail S.
• Is Part Of: Behavioral sciences & the law. Volume 32:Number 6(2014:Nov./Dec.)
• Page Start: 829
• Page End: 845
• Publication Date: 2014-11-28
• Subjects: Mental health laws -- United States -- Periodicals; Psychology, Forensic -- Periodicals; 347.3044405
• DOI: 10.1002/bsl.2146
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0735-3936

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>This study investigated the influence of communicator (child victim) and perceiver (adult participant) characteristics on expectations about witnesses' emotional displays during testimony. In total, 191 adults were asked whether or not they expected child victims who were testifying about sexual abuse to display sadness, fear, anger, disgust, happiness, or a neutral demeanor, and how intensely the adults expected each emotion to be displayed. In describing the victims, child age (5 vs. 13 years old) and child gender (female vs. male) were factorially combined as within‐subject factors. Results included that victim gender predicted expectations of fear, and victim age predicted expectations of anger and disgust. There was a significant interaction of victim age and victim gender for expectations of sadness. Of participants who expected multiple emotions, a combination of negative and neutral emotions was expected more from 13‐year‐old female victims than from 5‐year‐old female victims. Child victim empathy predicted ratings of how intensely sad and fearful the child victim would look. Implications of these findings for psychological research and the legal system are discussed. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.</p> </abstract>