The effects of sexual harassment severity and organizational policy and response on juror damage awards

Authors

Stacie Ann Cass, Florida International University

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

Master of Science (MS)

Major/Program

Psychology

First Advisor's Name

Margaret Bull Kovera

First Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Chair

Second Advisor's Name

Rebecca M. Salokar

Third Advisor's Name

Christian A. Meissner

Date of Defense

6-18-2002

Abstract

Community members who reported for jury duty (N = 123) read a brief summary of a sexual harassment trial, in which harassment severity and the organization's sexual harassment policy were manipulated. Jurors were more likely to agree that they should compensate the plaintiff for her pain and suffering, the organization should be punished, and the plaintiff had suffered when they read the more severe harassment scenario. When the organization had and enforced an effective sexual harassment policy, jurors believed that the plaintiff had suffered little and the organization should not be punished. Thus, severity of harassment influenced jurors' judgments about compensation, and organizational policy influenced jurors' judgments about punishment, both legally appropriate considerations. These results have implications for both organizations, who could create or modify sexual harassment policy to limit damage awards, and trial lawyers, who could tailor trial arguments to maximize or minimize awards.

Identifier

FI14060100

Recommended Citation

Cass, Stacie Ann, "The effects of sexual harassment severity and organizational policy and response on juror damage awards" (2002). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2068.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/2068