APS
2026 APS Annual Convention · 2026
Equally Credible? Measurement Invariance of Defendant Credibility across Age, Race, and Gender
- Elizabeth Sykes
USF - Christine Ruva
University of South Florida
Abstract
Defendant credibility is an important construct related to legal decision making and assessed using an eight-item scale. Measurement invariance for the scale held across defendant age (25/65) and race (Black/White), but not gender (male/female). Stereotypes of women (but not men) as detail oriented may account for this difference.