Personal Belief In A Just World Research Articles

“I am agnostic, not atheist”: The role of open-minded, prosocial, and believing dispositions

ABSTRACT Does agnosticism versus atheism reflect only epistemic or deeper personality and other individual differences? Following a previous study in Belgium, we investigated this question among 537 UK adults, self-identified as Christian, agnostic, or atheist. Agnostics were midway between religionists and atheists on prosocial dispositions (agreeableness, belief in world’s benevolence), outcomes of intuitive thinking (paranormal beliefs, religiosity), and non-theistic forms of spirituality; and showed greater openness to experience and weaker convictional self-identification than atheists. Personality uniquely, beyond religious socialization, predicted agnosticism versus atheism. Spirituality denoted, across all three groups, connectedness with the world, interest in the paranormal, and life satisfaction; among nonbelievers, personal belief in a just-world; and prosocial dispositions and openness to experience among agnostics and Christians but not atheists.

Development of beliefs in a just world among Chinese early adolescents and the predictive role of family factors: A three-wave longitudinal study.

This study explored how belief in a just world (BJW) develops among Chinese adolescents and the predictive role of family factors. The development of BJW in adolescence is an important but understudied topic, especially in non-Western contexts. Using a three-wave longitudinal design, 1525 participants (48% girls; Mage = 12.47) were recruited to report their BJW, childhood SES, only-child or not, and parental psychological control in Wave 1 (Wave 2: N = 1262; Wave 3: N = 1124). The mean slope for personal BJW is positive and significant, but not significant for general BJW. Childhood SES predicted initial level of personal and general BJW and the rate of growth of personal BJW. Only-child predicted initial level and the growth rate of personal BJW. Parental psychological control negatively predicted personal and general BJW at three time points. Personal BJW increased during the observation period, whereas general BJW was stable. Individuals with lower levels of childhood SES had lower initial personal and general BJW but a higher growth rate in personal BJW than those with higher SES. Individuals having siblings had lower levels of initial personal BJW but a higher growth rate in personal BJW than those from only-child family. Parental psychological control may exert consistent and contemporaneous negative effect on BJW across time.

Belief in a just world and meaning in life among Chinese adolescents: The mediating role of basic psychological need satisfaction

Previous literature has shown that adults with higher belief in a just world (BJW) experience greater meaning in life than those with less pronounced BJW. However, the role of BJW in adolescent meaning in life and the associated psychological mechanisms remain unclear. Thus, two studies were conducted to explore the roles of personal belief in a just world (PBJW) and general belief in a just world (GBJW) in meaning in life as well as the explanatory role of basic psychological need satisfaction among Chinese adolescents. Study 1 offered cross-sectional evidence that individuals higher in PBJW and GBJW displayed greater meaning in life, and basic psychological need satisfaction accounted for these associations. Study 2 provided longitudinal evidence that individuals higher in PBJW and GBJW at Time 1 exhibited greater meaning in life six months later (Time 2), wherein basic psychological need satisfaction at Time 1 served as a mediator. These findings contribute to understanding the adaptive benefits of PBJW and GBJW in meaning in life during adolescence and point to a crucial channel connecting BJW and meaning in life.

Is peoples’ belief in a just world associated with (dis)honesty in romantic relationships?

We hypothesized that people’s personal belief in a just world (PBJW) is associated with decreased relationship-based dishonesty. We tested our hypothesis in 11 studies using community samples and different methodological approaches. One internal meta-analysis across all 11 studies (total N = 4970) yielded a negative but non-significant overall effect (Fisher’s z = −0.07), thus providing no support for our hypothesis. A more detailed look revealed that studies measuring estimated levels of partner’s dishonesty yielded significantly stronger negative associations to people’s PBJW compared to studies that measured dishonesty emanated by oneself. We discuss what the results mean for research on belief in a just world and derive new approaches for future research in this field.

Testing the Roles of Perceived Control, Optimism, and Gratitude in the Relationship between General/Personal Belief in a Just World and WellBeing/Depression

Belief in a Just World (BJW) can be categorised into domains of how people view the fairness of their immediate social worlds (Personal Belief in a Just World–PBJW) and the wider world (General Belief in a Just World–GBJW). We conducted two studies with 179 (Study 1) and 364 (Study 2) participants to examine differential relationships that PBJW and GBJW could have in directly predicting mental wellbeing and depression and indirectly via three mediators of perceived control, optimism, and gratitude. Path analyses examined how well data from each study fit 13 different models. Models 1 to 4 tested whether PBJW directly and indirectly via the three mediators predicted wellbeing (Model 1) and depression (Model 3) and if GBJW likewise directly and indirectly predicted wellbeing (Model 2) and depression (Model 4). These four models had the best supported statistical fit for either Study 1 or 2 relative to other models. In both studies when explaining the effect of PBJW on wellbeing and depression, perceived control was the strongest mediator, followed by optimism, and then gratitude. When examining the effect of GBJW on wellbeing and depression, only perceived control and optimism were significant mediators. These studies affirm the need to assess GBJW and PBJW as separate phenomena, rather than combining these constructs or omitting PBJW, as is sometimes done.

General and personal just-world beliefs, gratitude, forgiveness, and cooperativeness: A multiple mediation model

Belief in a just world (BJW) may influence cooperation, but it is unclear whether general and personal BJW (GBJW and PBJW) have the same impact on cooperativeness in collectivistic cultures as it does in individualistic ones. The present study explored the relationships between GBJW, PBJW, cooperativeness, gratitude, and forgiveness to determine the effect of BJW on cooperativeness and explore possible mediating mechanisms. Data was obtained from self-report questionnaires completed by Chinese university students. The structural equation model with 574 effective questionnaires showed that GBJW positively and PBJW negatively predicted cooperativeness, and gratitude partially mediated these relationships. The results imply that the functions of GBJW and PBJW of Chinese people are different from those in Western cultures. These might indicate the discrepancies in collectivistic and individualistic cultures. The current study adds substantially to our understanding of the adaptive functions of GBJW and PBJW and emphasises the importance of distinguishing between both functions in different cultures.

The relationship between just world belief and wellbeing, cheating behaviors, and academic work behaviors during COVID 19 among university students

Is the belief in a just world among students also stable under COVID-19? To answer this question, a study was conducted with university students from Germany (n = 291). The aim of the study was to analyze the predictive performance of the personal belief in a just world (PBJW) on students' life satisfaction and academic cheating and to take into account important mediators from the university context such as fellow student justice, lecturer justice, and procrastination. Derived from existing research, university students with a stronger PBJW should be more satisfied with their lives and cheat less than those with a weaker PBJW. The results support the hypothesized direct effects of PBJW on life satisfaction. Procrastination additionally mediated the effect of PBJW on life satisfaction. The level of PBJW predicted academic cheating only indirectly. The mediators procrastination and lecturer justice were crucial here. The results persisted when gender, learning, time to exam, socially desirable responding, general BJW, and self-efficacy were controlled. The findings were discussed in relation to the stressful situation caused by COVID-19. A reflection on the adaptive function of PBJW as a resource and relevant situation-specific mediators for university research and practice followed.

Bullying victimization and depressive symptoms in Chinese adolescents: the roles of belief in a just world and classroom-level victimization.

Studies have demonstrated that bullying victimization is a risk factor for depressive symptoms; however, little is known about the underlying processes that may mediate or moderate this relationship. To address this research gap, this study examined the mediating effects of personal and general belief in a just world (BJW) and the moderating effect of classroom-level victimization on the relationship between bullying victimization and depressive symptoms. Using a short-term longitudinal design, two-wave data were obtained from 2,551 Chinese adolescents (initial age = 12.99 ± 0.61, 52.2% boys) from 47 classes over 6months. The results indicated that Time 1 personal BJW mediated the relationship between Time 1 bullying victimization and Time 2 depressive symptoms. Furthermore, the mediating effect of Time 1 personal BJW was moderated by Time 1 classroom-level victimization; this effect was stronger for adolescents in classrooms with low levels of victimization. These findings contribute to our understanding of how and when bullying victimization impacts youth depressive symptoms. Education practitioners should pay special attention to personal BJW in victimized adolescents, especially when classroom-level victimization is low.

Belief in fake news and prevention behaviors of COVID-19: moderating effect of Belief in a Just World

Context: Hygiene and social distancing were recommended as strategies to mitigate the proliferation of COVID-19 early in the pandemic. Despite their importance, many people resisted implementing such strategies. In this sense, it is important to understand social and psychological processes underlying people's prevention behaviors regarding COVID-19. Method: This research aimed to assess the influence of fake news (FN) and belief in a just world (BJW) on prevention behaviors for the COVID-19. 198 participants indicated the extent to which they believed in FN about COVID-19, answered questions about their hygienic behavior and social distancing, completed the personal BJW scale, and answered a sociodemographic questionnaire. The results indicated that believing in FN was associated with fewer hygienic behaviors [β=-0,17, t(195)=-2,44, p=0,016] and less social distancing [β=-0,16, t(195)=-2,28, p=0,024]. Personal BJW moderated the effects of FN on social distancing [β=0,16, t(194)=2,21, p=0,028]. Results: These results show the impact of FN on prevention behaviors during the pandemic and illustrate the role of BJW on this relationship. Conclusions: It was concluded that it is essential to inform the population by trustworthy sources of knowledge and that public figures only disseminate scientifically accurate information. Although BJW may mitigate the negative impact of misinformation, the reduction of fake news and its impact is of utmost importance for public health during a pandemic.

Cyber-bullying among university students: Concurrent relations to belief in a just world and to empathy

The aim of this study was to investigate concurrent relations of belief in a just world (BJW), justice experiences, and empathy to cyber-bullying perpetration and victimization. Our theoretical framework contained a distinction between personal and general BJW and between affective and cognitive empathy. Due to theory and recent research, we expected students’ BJW, lecturer and fellow student justice, and empathy to relate negatively to cyber-bullying perpetration. Furthermore, BJW and academic justice experiences are also expected to negatively relate to cyber-bullying victimization. In order to test our hypotheses, we conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire study with N = 663 German university students (Mage = 22.6, SDage = 3.5; 68% female). Gender, internet use, and social desirability were considered as control variables. A structural equation model showed that students’ personal BJW, academic justice experiences, and both empathy dimensions but not general BJW negatively related to cyber-bullying perpetration. Additionally, students’ personal BJW and academic justice experiences but not general BJW or empathy were associated with cyber-bullying victimization. Male students and those with a low social desirability were more likely to report cyber-bullying perpetration and victimization. Altogether, not only university students’ personal BJW and empathy but also their academic justice experiences related to cyber-bullying perpetration or victimization. Thus, researchers should develop strategies aiming to prevent or reduce cyber-bullying. Those should simultaneously foster students’ personal BJW and empathy as well as an academic environment characterized by just behavior of lecturers and students.

Embitterment among the unemployed: A multiple mediation model of belief in a just world.

The negative consequences of job loss on financial and psychological quality of life have been well documented. This study evaluated the level of unemployed individuals' embitterment and the mechanism by which negative life experiences increase embitterment by lowering the belief in a just world (BJW). A survey was administered to 1,074 unemployed Korean adults who visited a regional Center for Employment and Welfare. Question items included the Korean version of posttraumatic embitterment disorder (PTED) self-rating scale, the BJW (personal and general) scale, negative life events, and sociodemographic characteristics. Only 45.9% of the participants were categorized as being in a 'normal state,' indicating that many of the unemployed were emotionally embittered. There was a positive direct effect of an increase in negative life events on embitterment. Negative life events also significantly and indirectly affected embitterment through personal BJW. Embitterment was prevalent among the unemployed participants and embitterment was a reactive emotion following personal downgrading, not so much related to conditions in the world at large. Thus, we recommend developing a screening program to detect extreme embitterment and an interventional program to help people better cope with emotional stress due to job loss. Efforts should be made to restore their violated expectation and trust that they would be treated in a just and fair way.

The Relationship Between Ego Depletion and Prosocial Behavior of College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Social Self-Efficacy and Personal Belief in a Just World.

In the context of the COVID-19, we examined the relationship between college students’ ego depletion and their prosocial behavior. We explored the mediating role of social self-efficacy between ego depletion and prosocial behavior, we also examined the moderating role of personal belief in a just world in this relationship. 1,122 college students completed the ego depletion questionnaire, prosocial behavior questionnaire, social self-efficacy questionnaire, and personal belief in a just world questionnaire. The current findings suggested that: (1) Social self-efficacy mediated the relationship between college students’ ego depletion and their prosocial behaviors. The ego depletion of college students could be used to predict their prosocial behavior through social self-efficacy. (2) Personal belief in a just world moderated the relationship between social self-efficacy and prosocial behavior.

How belief in a just world leads to prosocial behaviours: The role of communal orientation

Belief in a just world (BJW) is widely held by people who tend to believe that the world is fair and that individuals get what they deserve and deserve what they get. This study investigated the mediating role of communal orientation in the relationship between prosocial behaviour and personal BJW (PBJW) as well as general BJW (GBJW). In Study 1, an online questionnaire was used to measure participants' explicit BJW, prosocial behaviour and communal orientation. The results showed a mediating effect of communal orientation on the relationship between explicit BJW and prosocial behaviour. Considering that BJW is often conceptualised as an implicit construct, in Study 2, the Implicit Association Test (IAT) was used to measure implicit PBJW and GBJW to examine their relationship with actual donation behaviour. The results showed that implicit PBJW and GBJW are indirectly but positively related to prosocial behaviour via communal orientation; thus, to some extent, PBJW and GBJW should have positive social significance.

Conceptualization, Measurement, and Validation of Effort- and Valence-Based Just World Beliefs

Abstract. In this research, we propose that belief in a just world (BJW) can be divided into two distinct beliefs: one addressing the notion that efforts are rewarded, that is, effort-based BJW, and another maintaining that the valence associated with moral character leads to particular consequences, that is, valence-based BJW (e.g., good people are rewarded and bad people are punished). We used culturally relevant proverbs to design measures in German and Chinese. Samples of college students and working adults from both countries were collected to assess the reliability, factor structure, validity, and the nomological consistency of the newly developed measures. Both measures demonstrated strong evidence of the existence of and distinction between effort- and valence-based BJW, and they displayed unique patterns in predicting different variables beyond the effect of personal BJW and BJW for others, which may elucidate the precise justice beliefs related to different phenomena.

The Role of Just World Beliefs in Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study investigated whether people’s personal belief in a just world (BJW) is linked to their willingness to physically distance themselves from others during the COVID-19 pandemic. Past research found personal BJW to be positively related to prosocial behavior, justice striving, and lower risk perceptions. If social distancing reflects a concern for others, high personal BJW should predict increased interest in social distancing. If social distancing reflects a concern for one’s personal risk, high personal BJW should predict decreased interest in social distancing. Results of a pre-registered internet-based study from Germany (N = 361) indicated that the higher people’s personal BJW, the more they generally practiced social distancing. This association still occurred when controlling for empathy, another significant predictor of social distancing. There were no mediation effects of empathy and risk perception. The findings extend knowledge on the correlates of social distancing in the COVID-19 pandemic which could be used to increase compliance among citizens.

Perceived Parental Emotional Warmth and Prosocial Behaviors among Emerging Adults: Personal Belief in a Just World and Gratitude as Mediators

Perceived Parental Emotional Warmth and Prosocial Behaviors among Emerging Adults: Personal Belief in a Just World and Gratitude as Mediators

The social gradient in adolescent mental health: mediated or moderated by belief in a just world?

PurposeA social gradient in adolescent mental health exists: adolescents with higher socioeconomic status (SES) have fewer mental health problems than their peers with lower SES. Little is known about whether adolescents’ societal beliefs play a role in this social gradient. Belief in a just world (BJW) may be a mediator or moderator of the social gradient in adolescent mental health.MethodsUsing data from 848 adolescents (Mage = 17) in the Netherlands, path analyses examined whether two indicators of BJW (general and personal) mediated or moderated the associations between two indicators of SES (family affluence and perceived family wealth), and four indicators of adolescent mental health problems (emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity, and peer problems).ResultsAdolescents with lower family affluence and lower perceived family wealth reported more emotional symptoms, and the association between perceived family wealth and emotional symptoms was mediated by lower personal and general BJW. Furthermore, higher personal BJW amplified the negative association between SES and peer problems.ConclusionThis study suggests BJW may both mediate and amplify the social gradient in adolescent mental health. Adolescents’ beliefs about society may be important to include in research aimed at understanding this social gradient.

Belief in a Just World and Moral Personality as Mediating Roles Between Parenting Emotional Warmth and Internet Altruistic Behavior.

This study explores the influence of parental emotional warmth (PEW) on college students’ Internet altruistic behavior (IAB), and the mediating roles of personal belief in a just world (PBJW) and positive moral personality traits (PMPT). A total of 893 college students were assessed using questionnaires. Results: (1) PEW, PBJW, PMPT, and IAB are positively correlated with each other; (2) PEW can directly predict the IAB of college students; and (3) PEW can indirectly predict IAB through the mediating effect of PMPT and PBJW-PMPT. PBJW and PMPT account for 22.79% of the total influence of PEW on IAB.

Using Shattered Assumption Theory to Understand How Cyberbullying Victimization is Linked With Perceived Control Among Chinese College Students.

Perceived control (PC) is considered as one of the most basic psychological needs of human beings, and it is also an important index to measure individual mental health. Previous studies have shown that negative life experience is an important risk factor for predicting PC. With the prevalence of cyberbullying among college students, this study explored how cybervictimization (CV) was related to the PC, mediated through the personal belief in a just world (PBJW). Besides, this study examined the moderating role of interpersonal forgiveness (IF) in the direct relationship between CV and PC and the indirect connection through PBJW. It was expected that CV would negatively predict the PC, and the PBJW would mediate this relationship. The direct and indirect effects were stronger in individuals with low IF than those with high IF. In this study, 837 Chinese college students were invited to conduct an online survey using a convenient sampling method. Participants were asked to complete the measurement of CV, PBJW, IF, and PC. After controlling gender and age, the results revealed that CV could directly and negatively predict college students' PC and indirectly predict the PC through the mediation of PBJW. Additionally, IF moderated the effect of CV on PBJW and PC. Unlike what we expected, the effect of CV on PBJW was stronger for low IF individuals than those with high IF, while the effect of CV on PC was stronger for high IF individuals than those with low IF. The unexpected orientation and other results were discussed.

Personal and general belief in a just world and self-esteem in primary school students

According to the just world theory, individuals have the need to believe that the world is a fair and predictable place where good things happen to “good” people and bad things happen to “bad” people. Previous research on this theory has focused mainly on students of secondary education and higher education. The current study examines personal (PBJW) and general (GBJW) belief in a just world in 292 fifth and sixth-grade primary school students (Mage = 10.98, SD = 0.74) in Greece. It also investigates the effect of other demographic variables, such as grade, gender, and place of residence on self-esteem. Lastly, it explores the contribution of PBJW and GBJW to self-esteem. Students completed the Greek translation of the scales of General and Personal Belief in a Just World as well as a Self-Esteem Scale. The results indicated that students more strongly endorse PBJW than GBJW. Also, PBJW and children’s place of residence significantly predict self-esteem, indicating that the more the students feel they are treated fairly, the better their level of self-esteem.