Role Of Group Dynamics In 12 Angry Men

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Abstract
12 Angry Men is an American drama film produced in the year 1957. This film was adapted from the teleplay 12 Angry Men which was named by Reginald Rose, written and co-produced by Rose himself and directed by Sidney Lumet. This classic, mind gripping and penetrating black and white film tells the story of a diverse group of twelve jurors, all male, middle aged and of middle class status, who were entrusted with the power of determining the fate of an uneducated teenage Puerto Rican boy who was accused of murdering his father with a switchblade and was facing the possibility of the electric chair. The film also depicts a jury attempting to render a unanimous verdict in the murder trial. The process whereby the decision is reached illustrates a situation where a minority transforms the opinion of a majority by exerting persuasive tactics and demonstrating effective leadership. Group dynamics is related with the structure and functioning of groups of jurors as well as the different types of roles that each and every individual plays. The dynamics of group decision-making is the central focus in the film 12 Angry Men. The situational and behavioral elements of majority group processes were evident from the onset of the film. A plethora of characteristics made this particular jury especially prone to conformity. Keywords: verdict, guilty, innocent, juror, deliberation, unanimous, reasonable doubt, group dynamics, conformity.

12 Angry Men
A Demonstration of

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