What Justices Want: Goals and Personality on the U.S. Supreme Court

The most sophisticated theories of judicial behavior depict judges as rational actors who strategically pursue multiple goals when making decisions. This book proposes a new theory of judicial behavior in which judges strategically pursue multiple goals, but their personality traits determine the relative importance of those goals.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 224 pages
\n Publication date: 23 August 2018
\n Publisher: Cambridge University Press
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The most intricate theories of judicial behavior portray judges as rational actors who strategically pursue multiple goals when making decisions. However, these accounts often overlook the possibility that judges may have heterogeneous goal preferences, meaning that different judges desire different outcomes. By integrating insights from personality psychology and economics, this book presents a novel theory of judicial behavior in which judges strategically pursue multiple goals, but their personality traits determine the relative importance of those goals. This theory is empirically tested by analyzing the behavior of justices who served on the US Supreme Court between 1946 and 2015. Utilizing recent advancements in text-based personality measurement, Hall evaluates the influence of the "big five" personality traits on the justices' behavior at each stage of the Court's decision-making process. The findings of What Justices Want demonstrate that personality traits directly influence the justices' choices and moderate the influence of goal-related situational factors on their behavior.

The study of judicial behavior has long been a subject of interest to scholars and policymakers alike. Traditional theories of judicial behavior depict judges as rational actors who make decisions based on objective criteria and legal principles. However, recent research has challenged this notion by suggesting that judges may have heterogeneous goal preferences, meaning that they may prioritize different goals when making decisions.

One of the most influential theories of judicial behavior is the "rational actor" model, which assumes that judges are motivated by self-interest and seek to maximize their utility. According to this model, judges make decisions based on the costs and benefits of each option, and they are influenced by their personal preferences and values. However, this model does not account for the possibility that judges may have different preferences for different goals.

Another theory of judicial behavior is the "personality psychology" model, which suggests that judges' personality traits, such as their cognitive abilities, emotional intelligence, and values, may influence their decision-making. According to this model, judges with certain personality traits may be more likely to prioritize certain goals over others, such as fairness or efficiency.

The "economics" model of judicial behavior also suggests that judges may have heterogeneous goal preferences. According to this model, judges may be influenced by economic factors such as the costs and benefits of each decision, as well as the political and social consequences of their decisions.

To test these theories of judicial behavior, researchers have used a variety of methods, including surveys, interviews, and case studies. For example, one study examined the behavior of justices on the US Supreme Court between 1946 and 2015 and found that personality traits, such as openness to experience and conscientiousness, were significantly associated with the justices' decisions.

In conclusion, the study of judicial behavior has revealed that judges may have heterogeneous goal preferences, and these preferences may be influenced by a variety of factors, including personality psychology, economics, and political and social factors. Understanding these factors can help policymakers and judges better understand the behavior of the judiciary and make more informed decisions about judicial appointments and policy.

\n Weight: 332g\n
Dimension: 154 x 228 x 13 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781108462907\n \n