To Convict Casey Anthony: Prosecute With Authority

The Casey Anthony trial in Florida has once again put the American jury system into the spotlight. I will immediately divulge my bias, or pre-judgment: I am convinced that this young woman is guilty of homicide. Whether she is found guilty, however, will depend upon a number of factors, few of which have to do with her culpability, but rather they have to do with the ability of the prosecutor or defense lawyer to establish authority in the eyes of the jury.

You Should Be Committed: Why People Blindly Support Politicians or Effectively Lose Weight---It’s All About Commitment!

Recent political scandals, and mistaken historical recitations by politicians have left many people wondering why some people will seemingly, and often illogically, leap to the defense of those who otherwise should be chastised, ridiculed or, heaven forbid, educated. The answer is simple: the human desire, sometimes unconscious, to appear consistent. This is called the “commitment-consistency principle.”