The film explores the persuasion skills and issue of minority influence in any debate. The movie focuses of a jury of 12 gentlemen tasked with coming up with a court verdict. Nonetheless, the 12 have to unanimously agree that the suspect was guilty of murder. The said suspect is an 18-year-old young man charged with stabbing his father. Nonetheless, the evidence presented before the court indicate beyond doubt that the suspect actually committed the crime. Upon voting 11 of the gentleman agree that the suspect is guilty. A gentleman named Davis (portrayed by Henry Fonda) opposes the vote arguing that he is not convinced if the suspect convinced the court of his involvement in the murder. The essence of this paper is to answer the following questions:
Define patterns of persuasion, conformity, minority influence, and other social influences. Provide specific examples witnessed in the film.
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Persuasion:
Patterns of persuasion follows three key principles: ethos, logic and pathos. Ethos refers to the ethical code of conduct whereas logic refers to the ability invoke reasoning and discernment. Pathos relates to emotions of the participants (Hans, et al., 2019).
The arguments made by Davis appeals to the other gentlemen to consider the boy’s life. He argues that their decision will be responsible for the loss or protection of a life.
Conformity:
A social influence that causes the subject to change their belief and identity in order to fit in with a certain class or group.
Most of the group are ready to pass a guilty verdict because others just believe the boy is guilty.
Minority Influence:
This happens when people from a small group influences a huge social group to change their belief or attitude (Ali, 2016).
Davis or Juror number 8 is finally able to change the mind of the 11 gentlemen.
Other social influences:
A social influence refers to any element that has the ability to change the way people think or believe. Typically, the focus of social influences is to study how human behavior changes intentionally or unintentionally. The 12 men movies show how social influences changes through arguments and discussion.
2. First define the terms stereotypes and prejudice. Next, analyze issues of stereotypes and prejudice observed while watching the jurors deliberate in the film. There are many to choose from!
Stereotypes: These people.
Prejudice: The poor people or these people, like the boy accused of killing his father, are associated with drinking all day. The juror indicates that
Example 1: The assumption that the boy is guilty.
Example 2: The Juror number 8 voting against the rest. He is labeled one of those.
Example 3: The old man.
Example 4: the people from the slum being criminals.
3. In psychology, heuristics are s imple , efficient rules which people often use to form judgments and make decisions. They are mental shortcuts that usually involve focusing on one aspect of a complex problem and ignoring others. Provide an example of three cognitive heuristics represented in the film and label them (e.g. availability, false consensus, social proof). Next, define the three heuristics that you selected. Explain where/how the three heuristics occurred in the film.
Define the three cognitive heuristics that you selected:
Example Heuristic 1: Timing the duration it takes to walk about 10 feet and back. The jurors take the issue of time taken to open the door by conducting an experiment whereby they time Juror number 8’s movement across the room.
Example Heuristic 2: when an argument about the height of the boy and the angle of the stab wound is made. A quick simulation of a stabbing is acted out by juror number 4 acting like he’s trying to stab juror number 8.
Example Heuristic 3: Juror number 8 asks Juror number 4 which movies he watched to test his memory. Juror number 8 fails to recall all of them, thus proving the point that it is human to forget.
4 . Define the term catalyst for change . Next, interpret the catalyst for change that resulted in the outcome of the film, based on your perceptions. How does this line up with some of the research in social psychology?
A catalyst for change is any entity that defies the general rule to inspire a change in the social belief or behavior. Upon voting, the 12 juror start an actual conversation on the case and its facts. The discussion into the case is initiated by the not guilty by juror number 8. The juror is able to convince the 11 other juror on why the boy is innocent.
5. Define groupthink and group polarization. Next, explain how the film demonstrated groupthink and group polarization.
Define Group Think:
The decision made by a group is based on the cohesion of its members. Alternatively, the members have to be in agreement for any decision to be made.
The participation of the whole jury in an honest discussion away from their personalities and insecurities allows the attainment joint agreement. Juror 4, 3 and 12 are confronted about their personality, a move that angers them at first. But they later become active participant in questioning the facts of the case.
Define Group Polarization:
Group polarization is the tendency to make extreme decisions from the foreseeable expectations. Juries operate with group polarization as each juror convinces the other based on the evidence at hand.
Juror number 8 is able to polarize the whole jury by starting a discussion that overrules the verdict.
References
Ali, M. A. N. (2016). 12 Angry Men: A Legal Perspective. Al-Fikr Al-Shurti , 78 (3869), 1-24
Han, H., Shin, S., Chung, N., & Koo, C. (2019). Which appeals (ethos, pathos, logos) are the most important for Airbnb users to booking? International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management .
Lumet, S. (Director). (1957). 12 Angry Men .
