摘要
The anchoring effect is a powerful and widespread cognitive phenomenon in the decision-making field.Our quantitative analysis of a sample of 520 sentences indicates that the sentencing recommendation of the public procuratorate has a marked influence upon the court＇s sentencing judgment.That is,whether we are investigating the freedom penalty,the fine penalty or the term of probation imposed by the judge,we find that the anchoring effect does exist.In addition,a change in the court conviction or in the trial sentencing circumstances and the availability of a defense lawyer may weaken the anchoring effect of the procuratorate＇s sentencing recommendations.As a form of cognitive bias,the presence of the anchoring effect in the area of sentencing further highlights the necessity of applying analyses based on legal realism to the field of criminal justice in China;and at the institutional level,it demands that judges adopt corresponding arrangements to ensure the impartial exercise of discretion.
锚定效应是决策领域中非常普遍且强劲的一种认知现象。通过520个量刑样本的量化分析,本文发现:无论是以法官判处的自由刑量(freedom penalty)、罚金量(fine penalty)还是缓刑量(term of probation)作为考察对象,检察院的量刑建议对法院量刑裁判均产生了显著影响,即"锚定效应"是存在的。此外,"定罪罪名发生变化"、"庭审情节发生变化"以及"辩护人的存在"会弱化检察院量刑建议的"锚定效应"。作为一种认知偏差,锚定效应在量刑领域的存在,进一步增强了法律现实主义分析在中国刑事司法领域应用的必要性,同时,也在制度层面要求法官需要采取相应机制来保障自由裁量的公正行使。
基金
Supported by the Philosophy and Social Sciences Foundation of Shanghai(No.:2017BFX001)
Shanghai’s Outstanding Young Talents Projects
