For social and applied psychologists, juries present the opportunity to examine small and potentially diverse groups brought together for the purpose of completing an important, complex but naturally occurring decision-making task. During the 1970s, social psychologists investigated how the physical and social characteristics of defendants could influence jury (or juror) decision making. Although legal scholars and practitioners frequently decry the lack of research on jury decision making, psychologists have paid considerable attention to the study of juror and jury behaviour. While jurors are susceptible to many forms of bias and error, research indicates that there is much the legal system could do to aid the decision-making process and lighten the heavy cognitive load faced by jurors. Nevertheless, the story model for juror decision making is the most influential cognitive model of juror decision making developed to account for the way in which verdict decisions are reached.