Snoop (here) focuses on the Big 5 personality factors. Why care? Because it seems that the Big 5 are correlated with actual juror behavior. According to one study:
Actual venire members ( N = 764) completed the Big Five Inventory before going through the jury selection process for 1 of 11 criminal or 17 civil trials. In the 17 juries that deliberated to a verdict (n = 285), high levels of juror extraversion were associated with not guilty verdicts or verdicts for the defendant, especially in criminal cases. Extraversion was also associated with being selected as a jury foreperson, and foreperson extraversion was associated with longer jury deliberation times and perceived foreperson influence in criminal cases.
Clark, J., Boccaccini, M. T., Caillouet, B., and Chaplin, W. F. (2007). "Five factor model personality traits, jury selection, and case outcomes in criminal and civil cases." Criminal Justice and Behavior, 34, 641-660.
Even though there is a correlational relationship, the study notes: "Jury selection decisions by attorneys were not associated with juror personality traits but were associated with juror race and sex, especially in criminal cases." Twelve years of grade school, jr high, and high school (or prep school for the richies); four years of college; and three years of law school. Yet few still look more than skin deep.
For more on the Big 5, check out this nice overview:
UPDATE: Here is a link to a hard-copy of the article cited, above.
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