Ms Samantha Hamilton2, Dr Hayley Cullen2, Prof. Richard Kemp1
1UNSW Sydney, , Australia, 2Macquarie Univeristy, Sydney, Australia
Biography:
I am a student studying a Bachelor of Cognitive and Brain Sciences and Bachelor of Game Design and Development at Macquarie University. For several years, I have been involved in the Macquarie University Psychology and Crime (MacqPAC) Lab, conducting my own research on facility dogs and juror decision-making. I am excited to pursue a career in forensic psychology research and am passionate about using knowledge of psychology to ensure our legal system works as effectively and fairly as possible.
Abstract:
Legal systems allow vulnerable witnesses special measures when providing evidence, one of which is the presence of a facility dog (i.e., canine companion) during testimony. In South Australia, where the use of facility dogs is covered in legislation, it is recommended that they remain hidden from view of the jury. However, limited previous research regarding the use of facility dogs during testimony has solely focused on visible dogs. In two studies, we explored how the timing of awareness of an unseen facility dog impacts mock-juror perceptions and decision-making. Participants were shown an animated video (Study 1) or a fictitious trial transcript (Study 2) depicting testimony given in a sexual assault case, by either a calm or distressed complainant. They completed two sets of decision-making questions (immediate and after completing a distractor task). Participants were told about the unseen facility dog either immediately before the trial stimulus, immediately after, or only later in the study. Participants completed a decision-making questionnaire at two time points: once after the trial stimulus, and again later in the study. Participants were also asked questions to explore their acceptance of rape myths, and their familiarity with, and beliefs regarding, different types of support dogs. Bayes factor analyses from two studies support the null hypothesis that knowing about the presence of the unseen facility dog does not impact juror decision-making, or their perceptions of the witness or defendant. Our findings contribute to a growing body of evidence around canine companion use in criminal trial proceedings