ABSTRACT

Just World Belief studies (Lerner, 1965; 1980) show that people generally need to believe that they live in a world where they “get what they deserve and deserve what they get” (Lerner & Simmons, 1966, p.204). In this article, we approach two normative characteristics of the Belief in a Just World: its positive social value and its normative perception. We review five studies showing this normativity, employing four specific psychometric tools. After presenting these studies, we will discuss theoretical and social implications of the normativity of the Belief in a Just World.

KEYWORDS: Just World Belief, Social norms, Self-presentation, Social utility, Social desirability

PAGES:163-174