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After Exoneration: Attributions of Responsibility Impact Perceptions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 May 2018

Meaghan E. Savage ,
Kimberley A. Clow ,
Regina A. Schuller  and
Rosemary Ricciardelli
Meaghan E. Savage
Affiliation:
Faculty of Social Science and Humanities University of Ontario Institute of [email protected]
Kimberley A. Clow
Affiliation:
Faculty of Social Science and Humanities University of Ontario Institute of [email protected]
Regina A. Schuller
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology York [email protected]
Rosemary Ricciardelli
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology Memorial University of [email protected]
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Abstract

Guided by Weiner’s (1993, Am Psychol 48:957-964) attribution theory of social motivation, we examined perceptions of exonerees. Specifically, we examined whether biased police procedures impacted perceptions of responsibility, emotional reactions, and willingness to assist exonerees. Participants read a vignette involving an exoneration due to either a false confession or an eyewitness misidentification with police practices (biased vs. unbiased) manipulated across participants. Findings corroborate that participants hold more negative views of exonerees who falsely confess than exonerees who were mistakenly identified by eyewitnesses. Moreover, when police bias was high, participants were angrier at the police and less likely to perceive the exoneree as responsible for the wrongful conviction—especially when false confessions were involved. The findings are discussed in light of Weiner’s social motivation theory, and in regards to improving attitudes towards individuals who have been wrongly convicted.

Résumé

Guidée par la théorie de l’attribution causale de Weiner (1993, Am Psychol 48:957-964), nous avons examiné les perceptions des exonérés. Plus spécifiquement, nous nous sommes intéressés à savoir si les procédures policières biaisées avaient une incidence sur les perceptions de la responsabilité, les réactions émotionnelles et la volonté d’aider les exonérés. Les participants lisent une vignette décrivant une exonération résultant de faux aveux ou d’une identification erronée de la part d’un témoin oculaire dans le cadre d’une manipulation de pratiques policières (biaisées ou non) parmi les participants. Les résultats confirment que les participants ont des opinions plus négatives à l’égard des exonérés qui font de faux aveux que vis-à-vis les exonérés identifiés par erreur, par des témoins oculaires. De plus, lorsque les pratiques policières étaient fortement biaisées, les participants ressentaient davantage de colère à l’égard de la police et étaient moins susceptibles de percevoir l’exonéré comme responsable de la condamnation injustifiée – en particulier lorsque de faux aveux étaient en cause. Les résultats sont analysés à l’aide de la théorie de la motivation sociale de Weiner, et dans le but d’améliorer les attitudes envers les personnes qui ont été condamnées à tort.

Keywords

Exonereefalse confessionattribution theorystigmawrongful convictionExonéréfaux aveuxthéorie de l’attributionstigmatecondamnation injustifiée
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal of Law and Society / La Revue Canadienne Droit et Société , Volume 33 , Issue 1 , April 2018 , pp. 85 - 103
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Law and Society Association / Association Canadienne Droit et Société 2018 

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