The Psychology of Deservingness and Acceptance of Human Rights

Abstract

In this chapter, I argue that psychological research on the concept of “deservingness” can help us understand and reduce opposition to universal human rights. In Part I, I review accumulating evidence that humans possess a strong motive to see that they and others get what is deserved. I show that a desire for deservingness is relevant to punishment, resources, and the procedures and treatment to which people are subjected. Furthermore, I discuss evidence of a psychological need to believe that the world works according to deservingness principles. In Part II, I argue that a deservingness motive undermines acceptance of universal human rights. Evidence of this claim comes from a number of sources including research on individual difference predictors of commitment to human rights, situational predictors of specific human rights violations, and traditional arguments against certain rights for particular groups of people. In Part III, I discuss the implications of my arguments for how acceptance of universal human rights can be increased. I suggest a number of strategies toward this end. These strategies involve either promoting the notion that all humans deserve a common set of protections and resources, or decreasing the focus on deservingness in the realm of human rights.