Archive | Magnus Insights

Made for TV Mock Trials

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On April 26, 2018

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

A friend/client sent me an article recently about a mock trial conducted in a high profile murder case in Texas which was featured on the television show 48 Hours. The article, by one of Magnus’ competitors, thoroughly discussed many of the reasons why the mock trial and real trial results were different. As it turned […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On April 26, 2018

There are so many things wrong with the way in which these Texas attorneys performed their mock trial that it would take more than this post to comment on them. It is a travesty of justice for clients of attorneys who think they know more than anyone else about almost everything, including jury behavior. I […]

Followers

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On April 3, 2018

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

I have heard some parents extol their children’s leadership abilities while, simultaneously, praising their children for not being a follower, “like everyone else.” This dual conception of leadership, while it may appear on the surface to be accurate, is not supported by decades of social psychological research. Most widely accepted social psychological definitions of leadership […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On April 3, 2018

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

“Lead, follow, or get out of my way.” This quote from General George S. Patton, Jr. is quoted with some variation in many discussions about leaders and followers. It came to my mind reading Melissa’s post. Her post made me realize that considering what leads to following is perhaps more interesting in some ways than […]

The “Trial Show”

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 29, 2018

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

Two recent cases on which we conducted mock trials prompted this post. In the first, the lawyers presenting the case did so using 8×10 photographs of the incident scene which they held up in front of the group of mock jurors. No enlargement, no projection, just a photo. Post research, I attempted to “encourage” the […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 29, 2018

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

Most people learn new information via more than one method, including auditory, visual, and kinetic means. Reliance on only one method of learning may or may not be sufficient, but considerable research has shown learning that involves multiple methods is more likely to result in greater memory for what was learned than learning that takes […]

Leaders

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 27, 2018

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

Leaders and leadership have been studied by social psychologists for decades. The most widely accepted definition of leader is a person who influences group activities. A leader is someone who uses social power to move others in a desired direction by getting other people to follow his/her suggestions or orders. Most people, at one time […]

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 27, 2018

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

Organizational leadership is also a well studied field, but given our day to day work, I want to comment on the foreperson as leader fallacy that Melissa mentioned. As Melissa pointed out, forepersons are often nominated based on some form of experience. I was nominated as foreperson when I served on a jury because, after […]

Impression Management, part 2: Snap Judgments

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 22, 2018

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

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal (January 31, 2018, page A9), “The Mistakes You Make in a Meeting’s First Milliseconds,” by Sue Shellenbarger, prompted me to think about first impressions in the courtroom. And, particularly, the jurors’ first impressions of the attorneys. While the attorneys’ first impressions of jurors and witnesses, both fact […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 22, 2018

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

I routinely remark to the attorneys who are my clients that the jurors are the “only perfect people in the world.” That is, when one’s fate, and the fate of one’s client, rests in the decision made by a jury, the jury’s decision is final. Furthermore, the jury’s final decision may or may not be […]

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 […]

The New World Order

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 8, 2018

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

Melissa and I have attempted do two things consistently with the posts we write. First, we try to be tactful, and not insult anyone. Second, we strive to be timeless, not dating our posts by the topic. This post breaks the 2nd rule, but hopefully, not the first objective. The topic is what some have […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 8, 2018

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

Although many people cannot agree about politics, most people will agree politics have divided us into “us and them” factions more than, perhaps, any time in recent history. All of the people who are “us,” whatever that means on a personal basis, believe all of the people who are “them” are wrong, while all of […]

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 […]

Sleeping Beauties

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

On March 1, 2018

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

The role of a trial juror is critical in American justice and yet, jurors are often criticized collectively by many trial lawyers and the general public. Being a juror is a difficult job; sitting in judgment of your fellow citizens can be very stressful, and trials are not nearly as exciting and fast paced as […]

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

On March 1, 2018

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

Sadly for most people who are selected to be on a jury, there are few attorneys who possess the oratory skills required to keep them interested in the case, not to mention engaged. I have had the pleasure to observe some skillful trial lawyers in my career as a jury/trial consultant, including Buddy Payne, J. […]

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Archive | Magnus Insights

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

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

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

A Point of View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

Another View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

A Point of View

David H. Fauss, M.S.M.

Another View

Melissa Pigott, Ph.D.

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