Josephine Is Sitting on a Jury Whose Task Is to Decide

question 282

Multiple Choice

Josephine is sitting on a jury whose task is to decide whether or not to give the defendant a life sentence in prison. Most of the members of the jury feel the defendant can be rehabilitated and feel a twenty-year sentence would be appropriate. However, after listening to some of the members express their opinions about how detrimental prison life can be, the jury finally recommends a sentence of only ten years. In this case, which psychological principle may have shaped the opinion?

• A) social facilitation
• B) social loafing
• C) group polarization
• D) groupthink

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Definitions:

Antipsychotic Drug

Medications used to treat psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, working by altering brain chemistry to reduce psychotic symptoms like hallucinations and delusions.

Bipolar Disorders

A psychological disorder marked by severe fluctuations in mood, encompassing intense highs (mania or hypomania) and profound lows (depression).

Lithium Carbonate

A chemical compound used primarily in the treatment of bipolar disorder, acting as a mood stabilizer to prevent extreme shifts in mood.

Biomedical Therapy

Treatments for psychological disorders that involve interventions on a biological level, such as medication, surgical procedures, or alterations in diet.