Author Archive | Melissa Pigott

Rewards/Reinforcement

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 20, 2018

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Psychology, Small Business Success

Learning about the relationship of environmental events and behavior is known in psychology as instrumental conditioning. Instrumental conditioning has been studied extensively since the late 1800s, when a psychologist named Dr. E. L. Thorndike devised the “law of effect.” The law of effect, in its simplistic form, is a successful behavior will increase the probability […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 20, 2018

Category: Business Frustrations, Business Partnerships, Careers, Employment, Getting the Job Done, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Managing Employees, Psychology, Small Business Success

Over our many years in business, we have used rewards in the form of bonuses or gifts to employees for jobs well done. These have taken various forms, whether end of year/holiday bonuses or a bonus for a research day completed well, as well as other forms, like gift cards for dinners or weekend getaways. […]

Persuasion

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 13, 2018

Category: Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Litigation Tips, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Psychology, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

The study of attitudes and attitude change has a long tradition in social psychology. Related to attitude change is the concept of persuasion, the process by which attitude change occurs. In my role as a litigation/jury consultant, I assist attorneys become persuasive communicators, with the goal being to convince the jury, arbitrators, or judge to […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 13, 2018

Category: Getting the Job Done, Jury Consultants, Litigation Tips, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Psychology, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

Litigation is unique, when compared to other arenas where persuasion is important, such as advertising or marketing. With an advertising campaign, the ads, whether billboards, print media, social media, television, radio, or other formats, are often tested with focus groups, etc. And, once refined, the ad campaign is launched in a fashion where a wide […]

Bargaining and negotiation

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 6, 2018

Category: Jury Behavior, Jury Consultants, Jury Deliberations, Jury Research, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Litigation Tips, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Psychology, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting

Bargaining is a social psychological phenomenon that I observe in every mock jury research project I conduct. Rarely do the mock jurors reach unanimity without considerable back and forth discussions. According to social psychological theory, bargaining involves situations with the following characteristics: (1) the parties involved have divergent interests; (2) some form of communication by […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 6, 2018

Bargaining and negotiation involve give and take. And, some people will do all the taking, and little of the giving. We all observe this in many human interactions. In a jury scenario, this reality takes on a specific life of its own. We see it all the time in mock juries as the mock jurors […]

Commitment

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 27, 2018

Social psychologists often refer to the “3 Cs of Attitude Change”: conformity, consistency, and commitment. Previous posts have discussed the first two factors, conformity and consistency, and the current post will address the third factor, commitment. Commitment is the process by which people take a stand for or against a certain issue. Commitment to an […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 27, 2018

Knowledge of the power of commitment is a powerful tool for attorneys. On the one hand, when someone makes a clear commitment to something which obviously is opposed to a lawyer’s position, such as Melissa’s environmental example, the choice is easy. Sometimes, however, a commitment to some belief or cause is more subtly “announced.” Being […]

Consistency

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 20, 2018

Category: Jury Behavior, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Tips, Magnus, Magnus Research, Psychology, Trial Consulting

Most people perceive themselves as acting consistently across time and situations. Not only do most people like to appear consistent, in order to manage others’ impressions of them, they also like to appear consistent to themselves. This desire for consistency has strong effects on people’s behavior, particularly in group situations. Consistency has implications for people’s […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 20, 2018

Category: Jury Behavior, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Tips, Magnus, Magnus Research, Psychology, Trial Consulting

Because I’ve heard Melissa conducing educational programs on jury selection, I want to comment on one way the knowledge of the human desire to appear consistent is of importance to trial lawyers. In the chess game of jury selection, where the options are pre emptory strike (limited numbers), challenge for cause (no limits), or accept, […]

Conformity

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 13, 2018

Category: Jury Behavior, Jury Consultants, Jury Deliberations, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Litigation Tips, Magnus, Magnus Research, Psychology, Trial Consultants

Almost everyone knows the meaning of conformity. From an early age, we are taught to conform with others’ ways of doing things, to go along with group norms, and to desire to be like everyone else. Few of us actually think about the strong social pressures designed to ensure our conformity; we tend to “go […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 13, 2018

Category: Jury Behavior, Jury Consultants, Jury Deliberations, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Litigation Tips, Magnus, Magnus Research, Psychology, Trial Consultants

Melissa states that understanding conformity is part of understanding that a group is stronger than its individual parts. That is, in our litigation consulting world, a jury is stronger than a single juror, even if a single juror can “hang” a jury. My comments conform to her statement, but I want to expand it beyond […]

Defensive attribution

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On February 6, 2018

Defensive attribution has been widely researched by social psychologists since the 1960s. Defensive attribution is the bias, present in most people, that leads to blaming a victim of misfortune for his/her role in the misfortune. Among the first research studies on the topic of defensive attribution was a study that found accident victims were perceived […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On February 6, 2018

Though I have taken graduate psychology courses, I have certainly benefited from the litigation specific tutoring and examples Melissa has provided me, and our clients, over many years. I recall one of the first times defensive attribution raised its ugly head and had to be explained to a client on the fly. Our client, a […]

Impression management

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 30, 2018

In this series of posts, I will discuss social psychological concepts that operate in everyday life, as well as within the context of my work as a litigation/trial consultant. Some of the concepts I will cover have become well known among laypersons, that is, people who do not have an advanced degree in psychology, while […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 30, 2018

This series of posts capture many of the scientific concepts at play in persuasion and human decision making. As our world largely revolves around civil litigation, issues like impression management are factors in all of our work with the fact finders – juries, mediators, arbitrators, or judges as well as with the persuaders – the […]

I like my plants better than you

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 23, 2018

Category: Getting Through Life and Work, Life Outside of Work, Litigation Consultants, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Psychology, Trial Consultants, Trial Consulting, Work-Life

David frequently remarks that, for a social psychologist, I sometimes don’t seem too fond of people! I reply to his observation by reminding him I have had the opportunity to observe far too many people through a one way mirror, such that I know how people conduct themselves when they don’t realize anyone is watching! […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 23, 2018

I’m seeing a pattern here. Melissa prefers those people, animals, plants and things which bring her happiness and pleasure. Those which don’t, well, she’s honest enough to differentiate. And, I can attest to her seriousness of caring for the plants. For many people, me included, a focus on plant well being is not a natural […]

I like my cat better than you

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On January 16, 2018

Category: Getting Through Life and Work, Jury Research, Life Outside of Work, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Psychology, Trial Consultants, Uncategorized, Work-Life

I like my cat better than you. There, I said it! Regardless of who “you” are, in all likelihood, I will say, in all truthfulness, that I prefer my cat to almost anyone, including “you.” The first time David became painfully aware that I am not joking when I say this was soon after we […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On January 16, 2018

Category: Getting Through Life and Work, Jury Research, Life Outside of Work, Litigation Research, Magnus, Magnus Insights, Magnus Research, Psychology, Trial Consultants, Uncategorized, Work-Life

Melissa is a cat lady, probably not as crazy as some, but a cat lady nonetheless. I did pass the Ziggy test. And, he was fun – entertaining. I knew him for a little more than ½ of his life and have many fond memories. Prior to meeting, and living with him, I was not […]

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Author Archive | Melissa Pigott

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

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David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

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David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

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David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

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David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

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