Chinese-American juror level of acculturation and perceived expert witness credibility

Juries play an integral part in American courtrooms. Although attorneys and witnesses present information during trial, it is the jury who must interpret this information and render a verdict. Often an expert witness is called to clarify information for, or to help persuade, the jury. Therefore, how prospective jurors are likely to respond to expert witness testimony is an important factor in jury selection.;As the population in America continues to diversify ethnically, ethnic minorities will continue to become more present in American courtrooms. One of the fastest growing groups is Chinese-Americans. This dissertation examined the level of acculturation in prospective Chinese-American jurors and their perceptions of expert witness testimony.;Participants in this study completed the entire study using Internet-based Qualtrics survey software. Participants were screened for jury service suitability as defined in the United States Code. Participants completed the Chinese-American Acculturation Scale to measure their levels of acculturation. They then read a transcript of an expert witness' courtroom testimony and rated their perceptions of said testimony using the Witness Credibility Scale.;Results from this study yielded a significant correlation between level of acculturation and perceptions of expert witness credibility. Specifically, the more acculturated the participant was, the higher the participant rated the witness' credibility. This study also found that individuals with higher levels of acculturation rated testimony from a non-Chinese-American expert witness as more credible. Results from this study highlight the need for further examination into the intersection of culture and jury selection.