Doing Justice to the Group: Examining the Roles of the Group in Justice Research

Abstract

Although the abstract notion of justice implies attention to fairness not simply for one individual but for many, emphasis on how individuals perceive and react to injustice obscures the role of the group in justice research. Justice, as distinct from individual deserving, holds promise for the well-being of the group. Indeed, the group plays multiple roles in justice research, as a collective standard, a structure in which evaluations occur, a source of identity, and a context of interaction. Analyses of these roles help to explain underlying orientations of group members, delimiting the scope of justice in groups and the implications of justice in conflict situations. This review concludes with directions for future research that more explicitly draw attention to the rightful role of the group in understanding justice in society.