...6/9/2014 12 Angry Men Case Study 12 Angry Men Case Study Jaime Galván Webster University Author Note This paper was prepared for PROC 5840 (Spring 2, 2012), taught by Professor Alvin Dunn. Jaime Galvan, Webster University E-mail: cirlos@aggienetwork.com TABLE OF CONTENTS * Character Listing * Major Case Issues * Jury Member #8 * Jury Member #4 * Jury Member #3 Character Listing * Martin Balsam (Juror #1): He serves as the foreman of the jury and is fair. He listens to others and tries to guide the jury to a unanimous decision. He is non-confrontational and lets others express their opinion. * John Fiedler (Juror #2): He is the typical "avoider". He is easily persuaded and is the most timid of the group. He prefers to avoid angering the other members of the jury and cannot express his opinions. * Lee J. Cobb (Juror #3): He is biased and confrontational when other members disagree with his opinions. He believes that the defendant is guilty and is the last one to change his vote. His initial decision is mostly based on his poor relationship with his own son. * E. G. Marshall (Juror #4): He is a very calm and logical stock-broker. He bases his decision on facts and does not change his vote until the end when there is doubt about one of the witness's testimony. * Jack Klugman (Juror #5): He is a young man that is not comfortable expressing his opinion in front of the older members of the jury. He grew up in the slums and takes offense when other members try to stereotype people...
Words: 4472 - Pages: 18
...12 Angry Men Analysis In the movie “12 Angry Men” there is a young man on trial for murder. The year is 1957, so the jury consists of all white, middle class to upper class, middle aged and up men. Some of their occupations consist of architect, salesman, broker and a man in advertisement. Which if you know anything about a jury today it is completely different. You have many different people of all race, gender, and social class, within that community, to receive a more fair trial. Also you can’t bring in any previous information into the trial or bring any emotional attachment into the case. Having a jury like in the “12 Angry Men” is not having a fair jury or trial what so ever, they are either going to all agree with each other, persuade one another or think like each other. One of the characters played by Henry Fonda goes against the grain, and votes not guilty. This really sends the other jurors up the wall, more particularly the head strong jurors. They want nothing to do with him and don’t want to listen to what he has to say. Henry Fonda speaks out and votes the opposite of all the other jurors. He does so because he wants to discuss the facts and the evidence, he isn’t convinced he is guilty or he is innocent. Fonda wants to do so because he does not want to but a boy to his death without discussing this matter into more depth. This is the boy’s life they have in the palm of their hands after all, and he couldn’t live with the guilt if he would have been peer pressured...
Words: 1022 - Pages: 5
...The movie Twelve Angry Men begins with an eighteen year old boy from the ghetto who is on trial for the murder of his abusive father. A jury of twelve men (the committee) is locked in the deliberation room to decide the fate of this young boy. All evidence is against the boy and a guilty verdict would send him to die in the electric chair. The judge informed the jurors that they are faced with a grave decision and that the court would not entertain any acts of mercy for the boy if found guilty. Even before the deliberation talks begin it is apparent most of the men are certain the boy is guilty. However, when the initial poll is taken Juror #8 (Henry Fonda) registered a shocking not guilty vote. Immediately the room is in uproar. The rest of the jury resents the inconvenient of his decision. After questioning his sanity they hastily decide to humor the juror #8 (Henry Fonda) by agreeing to discuss the trial for one hour. Eventually, as the talks precede juror #8 slowly undermines their confidence by saying that the murder weapon is widely available to anyone, and that the testimony of the key witness is suspect. Gradually they are won over by his arguments and even the most narrow minded of his fellow jurors hesitantly agrees with him. Their verdict is now a solid not guilty. Arriving at a unanimous not guilty verdict does not come easily. The jury encounters many difficulties in learning to communicate and deal with each other. What seems to be a decisive guilty verdict as deliberations...
Words: 2817 - Pages: 12
...Group dynamics Sometimes group dynamics can’t be understood through just reading books or case studies.It can be best learnt or understood when seen or experienced. Group dynamics refers to a system of behaviors and psychological processes occurring within a social group (intragroup dynamics), or between social groups (intergroup dynamics). The study of group dynamics can be useful in understanding decision-making behavior, tracking the spread of diseases in society, creating effective therapy techniques, and following the emergence and popularity of new ideas and technologies.Group dynamics are at the core of understanding racism, sexism, and other forms of social prejudice and discrimination. These applications of the field are studied in psychology, sociology, anthropology, political science, epidemiology, education, social work, business, and communication studies. 12 Angry Men is one such movie which shows how group dynamics can actually lead to success or failures.12 Angry Men is a classic movie which was released in 1957.In the movie 12 men are put in one single room to discuss a case and reach a final decision on it. Until they don’t come up with a final decision no one is allowed to leave. Much similar to a typical GD session.Group dynamics is related with the structure and functioning of groups as well as the different types of roles each individual plays. In the film, twelve men are brought together in a room to decide whether a boy is guilty of killing his father. In...
Words: 1746 - Pages: 7
...upbringing and comes from a poor background. recently auditioned for a local theater production of Twelve Angry Men. As a jury researcher, how could I resist? Although I did not get a part, I still went to a performance, and I was struck by how powerful and instructive the play still is, more than 50 years after its premiere. TAM was originally written for television by Reginald Rose and broadcast live on September 20, 1954. Rose then rewrote it as a stage play in 1955, and Sidney Lumet turned it into a 1957 film starring a veritable who's who of leading men of the day: Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Jack Klugman, Jack Warden, Martin Balsam, E.G. Marshall, Ed Begley. This is the version that most people associate with the play. William Friedkin (who also directed The French Connection and The Exorcist--how's that for a curious portfolio) did a TV remake in 1997, with Jack Lemmon in the Henry Fonda role; Friedkin also had a couple of jurors be African American, which added a layer of complexity to the already present racial overtones. A Russian version, entitled 12, appeared in 2007 (Russia is one of several countries that has recently adopted or expanded its use of juries). That same year TAM was added to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. It has been popular since its premiere and is one of the things that many people think of when they think of juries. But in case you haven't seen it, here's the gist: The entire play takes place in the jury room, leaving the audience...
Words: 1096 - Pages: 5
...12 Angry Men: An Illustration of Concepts of Organisational Behaviour Introduction In 1957 Sidney Lumet’s 12 Angry Men was published (Lumet, 1957). Now, 55 years later, the movie’s teachings still hold most of their truths. The events shown in the movie can be scientifically explained using concepts of organisational behaviour. Although some of these concepts did not even exist by the time the movie was made, the movie still is an excellent case to study and illustrate them. The reason for this is the isolation of the movie’s characters. All events in the movie are triggered by the characters only. There are no external influences nor is there the possibility for the characters to leave the scene. This essay will apply concepts of organizational behaviour to events of the movie. Particular attention will be paid to the concepts of perception, attribution biases, decision making, leadership and group dynamics. In order to do so, the essay will move along the plot of the movie and apply concepts where there are fit. None the less for the purpose of referencing a brief introduction to the movie and its characters is given here: The plot of 12 Angry Men describes the events that take place as a jury has come to a unanimous decision. The defendant is accused of homicide. If the jury decides upon a verdict of ‘guilty’ the judge will inevitably sentence the accused to death penalty. In the beginning all jurors but juror no. 8 are willing to verdict ‘guilty’ without debating. However...
Words: 2175 - Pages: 9
...I recently watched a dramatic “case study” on group behavior and communication: the 1957 movie 12 Angry Men. The movie shows how one individual shaped and ultimately changed the direction of a group decision. The story goes that 12 jurors must reach a verdict that could require the death penalty for an 18-year-old defendant charged with stabbing his father to death. The jurors must reach consensus—the verdict must be unanimous. When they begin their deliberations, 11 vote guilty. Only one sees the case differently and is open to considering that there may be reasonable doubt. He raises his concerns about the trial, the evidence, and the performance of the boy’s lawyer, and continues to ask questions for the others to consider. He also takes the extra effort to provide evidence of his own, for example, purchasing the identical knife used in the murder at a local pawn shop (this knife was purported to be unusual and one of a kind) and pacing the distance the witness claimed he crossed in 15 seconds. It actually took 3 times longer. He wasn’t the strongest voice nor the most passionate believer. He simply had a reasonable doubt and he felt he owed it to the boy on trial to ensure there was sufficient discussion to justify their verdict. He did not bully the others to come to his conclusions, but he stood firm against the bullying of others who would shut down the discussion just to be done with it. Collaborative groups use consensus for decision making. To reach consensus...
Words: 867 - Pages: 4
...further than the more obvious verbal communication we consciously use every day. I will analyze a specific scene in the movie, 12 Angry Men, where the jurors are in the middle of determining a verdict on a murder case, and in the scene I am focusing on, I will discuss how the jurors use the subtle—and in this case, the not-so-subtle-- tactic of nonverbal communication...
Words: 677 - Pages: 3
...The 12 Angry Men Case Dennis Ojwang Organizational Management 701 February 26, 2015 When this movie was made, no one could have depicted that it would greatly speak of the ever changing dynamics of our world today. Immigration and diversity seem to have plagued the world now more than ever and it is no surprise that the business world has been changed tremendously. When this movie came out in 1957, there wasn’t much diversity as we see it today. Upon watching this movie, various topics covered, ranging from power and influence, ethical decision making and diversity, group formation and dynamics, cultural diversity, organizational culture, conflict management and then, there’s an introduction of Fiedler’s leadership model. The setting of the movie offers consistency, investment, rigidity, autonomy and fairness in terms of assessing different levels of conflict and negotiation. I would say that the most evident styles of conflict in the movie are accommodating, compromising and collaborating conflict resolution styles. The jury is involved in a high profile case about a young boy who, if found guilty, then he will be sent to the electric chair. There are several topics that are related to organizational management class that will be portrayed throughout this jury process. The jury, in determining the fate of the young man, who murdered his father, must closely work together and whether consciously or unconsciously, they have been introduced to the forming, storming, norming...
Words: 1735 - Pages: 7
...12 Angry Men Writing Assignment Final Exam Project Due: ________________________________________ (EDMODO) You will see a lot of psychological phenomena exhibited in the movie 12 Angry Men. Many of these phenomena are listed in the boxes on the next page. Your task for this assignment is to watch the movie, take note of these various psychological phenomena, and then write a cohesive 2-3 page paper discussing these themes. In writing your paper you must pick at least 5 separate incidences from the movie. For each incidence, describe how it relates to psychological phenomenon. Be sure to use concepts from across all of psychology. Do NOT, for example, just pick examples from social psychology (such as conformity and stereotyping); use examples from cognition, memory, sensation, and perception, etc. as well. In order to construct a cohesive essay, you should structure your discussion of the 4 incidences around a central area. That is, your paper needs to be more than just a loose collection of summary points. Consider how you can tie all the incidences together around a central psychological idea. * Behavior is determined by multiple causes: For any complex human behavior, multiple reasons exist as to why that behavior was done. For example, consider your study behavior. It is determined by intelligence, memory and attentional constraints, and social factors. * Behavior is shaped by cultural heritage: At several points in the semester we discussed how the people...
Words: 717 - Pages: 3
...Thesis Statement Studies have shown that an increasing trend of domestic violence is being perpetrated in heterosexual households. Many of these cases involve the male abusing the female, and the female actively attempting to maintain an outward appearance of normalcy despite the silent suffering. This outward image is nothing but a cover to maintain an illusion to the world that everything is good in the relationship, and also in many cases for fear of further abuse for drawing attention to the issue. As a result a closed loop of suffering, pain, and violence is created. Annotated Bibliography What is Domestic Violence? (August, 2014) The United States Department of Justice. http://www.justice.gov/ovw/domestic-violence The U.S. Department of Justice profiles the various ways in which domestic violence can be perpetrated by the aggressor. The manners in which the aggressor may enact the abuse are; psychological, economic, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. From this study the USDOJ is able to show how domestic violence is inflicted on females and the methods males use to gain control. The studies also show that abuse crosses all age and socioeconomic group boundaries. This study is credible as it comes from the U.S. Department of Justice. The USDOJ enforces laws and defends the interests and wellbeing of the American people. The USDOJ is continually researching various crimes, one of which being domestic abuse. This continual research gives women everywhere...
Words: 1696 - Pages: 7
...The Psychology of Road Rage: A discussion of psychological explanations of road rage and policy implications. Name: Graeme Standing Candidate #: 002351 015 Subject: Psychology – Extended Essay Word Count : 3993 School: Collège du Léman Date: February 2007© Graeme Standing (graemestanding@hotmail.com) Contents Introduction ............................................................................................................................................1 Is Road Rage Just a Media Invention?..................................................................................................... 1 What is Road Rage? ................................................................................................................................2 Stress and Anger .....................................................................................................................................2 Are Some People More Susceptible to Road Rage? ............................................................................... 3 Gender Stereotypes................................................................................................................................4 Intermittent Explosive Disorder.............................................................................................................. 5 Driving Pathology....................................................................................................................................6 Solutions...
Words: 4955 - Pages: 20
...Twelve Angry Men Eric Schoon Concordia University-Saint Paul Twelve Angry Men I. Introduction Twelve Angry Men is set in a New York City court of law jury room in 1957. The movie opens to the empty jury room, and the judge’s voice is heard giving a set of final instructions to the jurors (Reginald Rose, Twelve Angry Men Study Guide).Twelve men with diverse backgrounds are confined in a room and are unable to leave until they can reach a unanimous decision, one which will either condemn a young man to death or set him free. The twelve strangers are bound to each other until the goal is achieved. The scene is composed of two rather small rooms, one with windows that overlook the downtown area and the second room is a restroom. It seems that the deliberation takes place in the summer; humidity and the room’s stuffiness, due to the lack of air conditioning and a sporadically working fan, add to the undue stress of their task. This paper will discuss the different elements of group dynamics and how they relate to group cohesion and their effectiveness. II. Relational characteristics of group dynamics Group formation Levi, (2011) states to become more effective, teams should address several issues when first formed. First the team should socialize new members into the group. This socialization process assimilates new members while accommodating their individual...
Words: 2527 - Pages: 11
...Twelve Angry Men – Book Report How does your background and peer pressure influence your opinions and decisions? The play we read “twelve angry men” shows how a jury makes such an important decision of either sending the defendant to his death or keeping him alive – the jury determinates the fate of a 16 year old boy. As the title suggests that there are 12 men in the jury who do not know one another, and do not know the defendant, but these jurors have to work as one united group to argue and reach an agreement. They all have to be convinced wither the boy is guilty or not. The trial is about a sixteen year old boy accused with the murder of his father. The story has no plot because it tells us how these 12 jurors argue about the case in a small room and reach the final decision. They have to think as a group because, otherwise, it could not work, that means that they will get to the wrong decision, and cause or the release of a killer or the death of an innocent young man. The play emphasizes how they deal with the case and how they make a decision vital for the boy’s life. The jury is actually a group of randomly chosen members of society. Each one of them represents a particular class of the society, not only as a mass of people, but also the way this class of society thinks and behaves. Therefore, every one of them is sensitive to different issues and social norms and also each one of them confirms to different society standards and values of society. It is...
Words: 1913 - Pages: 8
...unanimously rules that state-level bans on interracial marriage do not violate the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. constitution. The ruling held for more than 80 years. In 1922, Congress passed the Cable Act, which prohibited marriages between Whites and Blacks and Whites and Asians. In 1964, “McLaughlin Vs Florida” Supreme Court rules that bans on interracial marriages violates 14th amendments. Finally in 1976, Loving Vs Virginia, the Supreme Court unanimously overturned “Pace Vs Alabama”. In 2000 Alabama became the last state to lift this ban. Judice, Cheryl Yvette “Interracial Marriages Between Black Women and White Men” "Social Issues Surrounding Interracial Marriages" Pg 21 -30 Cambria Press 2008 The author has done research on marriages between Blacks and Whites in America and wrote this book. She has specifically studied the phenomena of Black Women marrying White men. All the research in the early 20th century in interracial relationships...
Words: 2180 - Pages: 9