As part of the Death Penalty Study, researchers explored people's views toward public executions. Six opinions reliably measure a belief system that distains public executions. The opinions in red are opinions that people who disdain public executions disagreed with. People who disdain public executions tend to agree that televising executions is sick, that executions before large crowds bring out the worst in people, and that executions are best kept 'out of sight' and 'out of mind.'

They disagree that executions should be conducted before large crowds, that they should be televised, and that they enjoy news about executions (including glitches or 'botched' executions). The index that measures disdain for public executions includes several opinions that measure vicarious sadism. Where those who disdain public executions disagree, those who favor the vicarious sadism of public executions agree. For a technical explanation of the statistical analysis, click here.

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