How do juries decide? Simon Garrod University of Glasgow

Outline Communication & Decision-making Group size affects communication process –Smaller groups good for obtaining consensus –Larger groups are more influenced by dominant members Implications for: –Decision-making teams, juries etc.

Two kinds of communication process Non-interactive Information Transfer Interactive Information Alignment What happens in a group discussion?

Theories of Human Communication(1) Information Transfer Model Sender Information Receiver –Non-interactive –Monologue (e.g., reading/writing, listening to a lecture)

Broadcast Model Monologue group discussion sequence

Theories of Human Communication(2) Interactive Alignment Model Comm1 Information Comm2 –Two-way interactive process –Establishes consensus or agreement –Overhearers are at a disadvantage –Dialogue (e.g., face-to-face conversation)

Alignment Model Dialogue group discussion sequence

Group Size & Communication Large groups - Non-interactive broadcast –Long contributions, few interruptions –Poor at establishing consensus Small groups - Interactive alignment –Short contributions, more interruptions, more ABA speaker patterns –Good at establishing consensus

Communication and decision- making Broadcast Model –Group members should be influenced most by those who speak the most. Alignment Model –Group members should be influenced most by those with whom they interact the most

Who influences whom in small & large groups (Fay, Garrod & Carletta, 2000)

Who speaks most?

Who influences whom? High interaction vs. low interaction pairings –2 highest vs 2 lowest –Groups of five all, groups of ten top five Dominant vs. non-dominant speaker –Groups of five & groups of ten 1st vs. 5th highest contributors

Influence of High/Low Interactants Group 5Group Baseline High Interaction Low interaction

Influence of Dominant Speaker Group 5Group Baseline Dominant Non-dominant

Interaction measures

What is a large group?

Conclusions & Implications Group size affects communication & decision-making ( 7) Large groups - influenced by dominant speakers Small groups - good for establishing consensus Implications for –size of juries, business teams, committees etc. –Seating position of decision groups

Seating & Interaction