ISSN 1671-3710
CN 11-4766/R
主办:中国科学院心理研究所
出版:科学出版社

Advances in Psychological Science ›› 2013, Vol. 21 ›› Issue (1): 144-154.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1042.2013.00144

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Belief in A Just World: A Double-edged Sword for Justice Restoration

ZHOU Chunyan;GUO Yongyu   

  1. (1 School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, and Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior, Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430079, China) (2 Institute of Applied Psychology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China) (3 Key Laboratory of Human Development and Mental Health of Hubei Province, Wuhan 430079, China)
  • Received:2012-03-10 Online:2013-01-15 Published:2013-01-15
  • Contact: GUO Yongyu

Abstract: According to the just-world theory, individuals have a need to believe that they live in a world where people generally get what they deserve and deserve what they get. Early researches on this idea focused on reactions to various types of victims and the alternative strategies for coping with threats of injustice, including action strategies such as helping and compensation to victims and cognitive strategies such as victim derogation and blame. As the development of the individual-difference measures of the belief in a just world, researchers view BJW as a positive coping mechanism with many psychological benefits. To various kinds of victims and witnesses, BJW functions as a personal resource or psychological buffer helping them to cope with the threats of their daily life, maintaining mental health, endowing trust in the fairness of the world, and investing to the long-term goals. The bidimensional structures of just-world belief are important to interpret its dual functions. Theoretical challenges are discussed.

Key words: belief in a just world, threat of injustice, justice restoration