Harnessing ‘Expert Power’ to Help Persuade the Jury
November 5, 2010
American Bar Association Products Liability Litigation Committee Newsletter
Types : Bylined Articles
When we make a presentation to a jury in a product liability case or any other case, we are attempting to persuade jurors to say yes to our characterization of the facts and evidence presented and, ultimately, to adopt our conclusions about the case. Psychologists and marketers have long studied the mechanisms by which people are successfully persuaded to a certain viewpoint and, more recently, have sought to understand what happens in the brain during this process. An understanding of these mechanisms, and some of the basic concepts of the psychology of influence, may help you make your arguments to the jury with maximum persuasive effect.