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:

Personal Growth

The process of improving oneself through activities that enhance one's talents, awareness, and identity.

Unconditional Positive Regard

Fundamental acceptance of a person regardless of what they say or do; term associated with humanistic psychology.

Systematic Desensitization

A behavioral therapy technique designed to reduce anxiety through gradual exposure to the feared object or situation coupled with relaxation exercises.

Aversion Therapy

A form of psychological treatment where an undesirable behavior is paired with an unpleasant stimulus to reduce the behavior's occurrence.