Marcus is on trial for an alleged charge of robbery. He is 19 years old, Black, of athletic build, and normally wears casual streetwear. His defense counsel suggests he wear a smart button-up shirt and non-prescription reading glasses to the trial to project a studious and non-threatening image to the jury. Marcus has a strong working-class regional accent, which is frequently associated with lower status in public perception surveys.
The trial is held in a leafy, affluent rural county court over 80 miles away from the inner-city estate where Marcus lives.
To what extent may Marcus's characteristics affect the jury's decision-making in his trial?
You must make reference to the context in your answer.
Practise Edexcel A Level Psychology Content with exam-style questions for A Level Psychology. 1,059 questions covering Biological explanations of crime, Social explanations of crime, Cognitive and ethical interview techniques, Psychological formulation of offending, Cognitive-behavioural treatment for offenders, Biological treatment for offenders, Factors influencing eye-witness testimony, Factors influencing jury decision-making, Individual differences, and Developmental psychology, matched to the Edexcel A Level Psychology (9PS0) specification and written in Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 3 style. Every question includes a full worked solution and mark scheme, so you can see where marks are awarded rather than just whether you got the answer right.
