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Younger and Older Jurors

The Influence of Environmental Supports on Memory Performance and Decision Making in Complex Trials

^a Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan

Joseph M. Fitzgerald, Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202 E-mail: joefitz{at}sun.science.wayne.edu.

Decision Editor: Toni C. Antonucci, PhD

This study compared memory and decision making by younger (aged 19–35) and older (aged 55–75) adults who had viewed a 2-hr video of a complex civil trial. Participants were tested for free recall, recognition memory, source identification, and the accuracy of their verdicts. The experiment manipulated (a) note taking during the trial and (b) timing of judicial instructions: either before (preinstructed) or after (standard) the presentation of relevant evidence. Judicial instructions provide jurors with a framework for understanding legal concepts such as liability and compensatory damages. Both younger and older adults provided more detailed and cohesive accounts when they were given judicial instructions before the evidence. Other benefits of preinstruction to memory and decision making were limited to older adults. Note-taking effects were generally limited but were consistent across age groups. The results highlight the potential value of relatively simple interventions for improving cognitive performance in a real-world setting.