Introduction
The jury typically comprises citizens without a background in law. Consequently, people may apply emotions and countertransference in making their verdict. The memory and the level of intelligence also influence how the case will be decided. For instance, when listening to the defendants and the plaintiff, the information that they get is stored in the sensory, short-term, or long-term memory (Lefrancois, 2011). The jury may have lower levels of concentration on matters relevant to the law, such as the presumption of innocence. The consecutive paragraphs provide a summary of the thought process during the deliberation process.
Main body
During the court proceedings, the jury may not be attentive to all the facts. For instance, simple details such as what the defendant was wearing and the yes or no responses may not be remembered. The information remains at the sensory level; thus, it is not registered by the brain for future reference. Unless the jury is instructed to take notes on such simple aspects, this information will be forgotten immediately. Some data will be stored in short-term memory which can keep it for a while before being dismissed or transferred to the long-term memory. If the accused has been charged with murder, those following the proceedings will selectively pick some content. As stated by Lefrancois (2011), this store has a limited capacity. There must exist some controlling process and visual-spatial pattern to integrate new content. It is only in the long-term memory that stable information is kept. The implication is that the jury is more likely to remember the case from their pre-existing news than the proceedings.
Conclusion
Many thought processes happen in the jury’s mind before, during, and after the court process. The thoughts before the official listening of two parties may presume the respondent as guilty. During the sessions, people will be listening and integrating information to what already existed in their minds. Some details might be considered irrelevant by the jury and only stored temporarily on senses. The thought process is different for each person based on their initial mental constructs.
Reference
Lefrancois, G. R. (2011). Psychology: The human puzzles. Bridgepoint Education.