South SFV Today

A recent study has revealed that watching a docudrama about efforts to free a wrongly convicted prisoner on death row can increase empathy toward formerly incarcerated individuals and support for criminal justice reform. This research, led by Stanford psychologists, was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) on October 21.

Jamil Zaki, senior author and professor of psychology at Stanford's School of Humanities and Sciences, emphasized the challenge faced by stigmatized groups such as previously incarcerated people: "One of the hardest things for groups of people who face stigma, including previously incarcerated people, is that other Americans don’t perceive their experiences very accurately." He highlighted media's role in bridging this empathy gap.

The study integrates Zaki's previous work on empathy with Jennifer Eberhardt's research on racial bias. Eberhardt's book tour for "Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think, and Do" coincided with discussions about the film "Just Mercy," which portrays systemic racism in the criminal justice system. Inspired by a question from former President Barack Obama regarding whether films could alter neural responses, Eberhardt collaborated with Zaki to explore how "Just Mercy" might influence perceptions of marginalized groups.

Participants in the study watched short videos featuring real-life stories from formerly incarcerated men before and after viewing "Just Mercy." Their empathy levels were assessed based on their ability to gauge these men's emotions accurately. Results indicated increased empathy and support for criminal justice reform among those who watched the film compared to a control group. Specifically, viewers were 7.66% more likely to endorse a petition supporting voting rights restoration for individuals with criminal records.

Eberhardt noted storytelling's unique impact: “Narratives move people in ways that numbers don’t.” She cautioned against relying solely on statistics to highlight racial disparities, which can sometimes have counterproductive effects.

The study also demonstrated that personal narratives' effectiveness transcends race and political orientation. As Zaki stated, “When people experience detailed personal narratives it opens their mind and heart to the people telling those narratives and to the groups from which those people come from.”

Co-authors include Marianne C. Reddan, Sydney B. Garcia, and Golijeh Golarai. Jamil Zaki has authored "Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness."

For further inquiries, contact mediarelations@stanford.edu.