Abstract
To explore a methodology for studying non-verbal behavior in the courtroom to complement recent studies of verbal behavior, observers recorded the frequency of gaze over and under 2 sec. directed at defendants (n = 51), civilian witnesses (n = 53), and police witnesses (n = 34) by Municipal and Magistrate Court judges in real courtroom settings. The results indicate: (1) a main effect for judges' race with a higher rate of gaze from white judges than black judges, (2) a main effect for type of witness with defendants receiving the highest rate of gaze followed by civilian, then police, witnesses, (3) an interaction of judges' race by type of witness with white judges gazing at the highest rate at police and black judges gazing at the lowest rate at police, (4) an interaction of judges' race by witnesses' race with black judges gazing at the highest rate at white witnesses and white judges at the highest rate at black witnesses, (5) a positive correlation of 0.48 between the rate of gaze at the defendant and the fine received if found guilty.
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