The effects of belief in a just world on third-party punishment: A three-level meta-analysis

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1042.2026.0992

Abstract

Abstract: See injustice and draw your sword against it. Since its proposal, the just world theory has focused on the phenomenon, yet its theoretical hypotheses and empirical findings remain inconsistent. To resolve this controversy and uncover the reasons for the divergent results, we conducted a three-level meta-analysis to systematically examine the effects between belief in a just world (BJW) and third-party punishment (TPP) and its boundary conditions.
Through literature search and screening, a total of 46 research papers with 93 effect sizes were included, and the total sample size was 15,772 participants. The main effect analyses revealed a significant but weak positive correlation between BJW and TPP (r = 0.08, 95% CI = [0.03, 0.14], p = 0.006). Moderator analyses indicated that the effect was moderated by the self-other dimension of BJW (F (1, 55) = 6.20, p = 0.016). Specifically, BJW-self was positively correlated with TPP (r = 0.22, 95% CI = [0.09, 0.34], p = 0.001), but the association between BJW-other and TPP was not significant (r = 0.05, 95% CI = [-0.03, 0.14], p = 0.236). The effect was moderated by the form of third-party punishment behavior (F (1, 35) = 10.19, p = 0.003). Specifically, BJW was positively correlated with material punishment (r = 0.30, 95% CI = [0.12, 0.46], p = 0.001), but the association between BJW and social punishment was not significant (r = -0.03, 95% CI = [-0.13, 0.06], p = 0.500). The effect was moderated by the cultural background (F (1, 84) = 4.87, p = 0.030). Specifically, BJW was positively correlated with TPP in collectivistic culture (r = 0.19, 95% CI = [0.09, 0.29], p < 0.001), but the association between BJW and TPP was not significant in individualistic culture (r = 0.05, 95% CI = [-0.01, 0.12], p = 0.105); The effect was moderated by the violation scenario (F (2, 45) = 21.49, p < 0.001). Specifically, BJW was negatively correlated with TPP in the rape scenario (r = -0.10, 95% CI = [-0.15, -0.04], p = 0.002), but positively correlated with TPP in the robbery scenario (r = 0.14, 95% CI = [0.05, 0.24], p = 0.004) and corruption scenario (r = 0.30, 95% CI = [0.19, 0.40], p < 0.001). Notably, the correlation was significantly stronger in the corruption scenario than in the robbery scenario (Z = 2.04, p = 0.041). The effect was moderated by the sample type (F (3, 89) = 2.86, p = 0.041). Specifically, BJW was positively correlated with TPP in college students (M_age = 22.01 , SD = 3.72; r = 0.19, 95% CI = [0.08, 0.28], p < 0.001), but the association between BJW and TPP was not significant in middle and high school students (M_age = 14.58 , SD = 0.60; r = 0.20, 95% CI = [-0.05, 0.43], p = 0.115), non-students group (M_age = 36.32, SD = 8.580; r = 0.17, 95% CI = [-0.01, 0.35], p = 0.068) and mixed group (M_age = 30.92 , SD = 8.30; r = 0.02, 95% CI = [-0.05, 0.09], p = 0.545). However, the association between BJW and TPP was not moderated by observers' gender (β = -0.19, 95% CI = [-0.66, 0.29], p = 0.442), observers' age group (F (2, 70) = 2.53, p = 0.087), the explicit-implicit dimension of BJW (F (1, 88) = 0.02, p = 0.902), the type of third-party punishment (punishment behavior vs. punishment willingness) (F (1, 91) = 0.11, p = 0.739) and research method (F (1, 91) = 0.12, p = 0.726).
These findings contribute to addressing the competing hypotheses of the just world theory and specifying its boundary conditions, offering valuable insights for future theoretical development and empirical research. However, we examined the competing hypotheses of the just world theory solely from the perspective of third-party punishment. Future research should comprehensively examine bystanders' responses towards both victims and perpetrators to better clarify these competing hypotheses. Furthermore, the homo economicus and homo socialis perspectives offer inconsistent explanations for the association between BJW and TPP. Future research should further resolve the competing perspectives and explore the underlying mechanisms between BJW and TPP.

Key words: belief in a just world, third-party punishment, three-level meta-analysis, moderating effect.

HUANG Chuanbin, WANG Yang, DING Yi, GUO Yongyu. The effects of belief in a just world on third-party punishment: A three-level meta-analysis[J]. Advances in Psychological Science, 2026, 34(6): 992-1009.

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