Altruism as a search for justice.

Abstract

153 female undergraduates participated in 2 studies designed to investigate the effect of the desire to establish or maintain justice in a social situation (the need to believe in a just world) on altruistic behavior. In the 1st study, Ss who had experienced betrayal by 1 partner apparently attempted to identify with a more successful partner in another task. Rewarded Ss, however, made most effort to help a previously betrayed partner. In the 2nd study, when the opportunity to identify with a more successful partner or disassociate from a partner who had failed was prevented, the experimental hypotheses were supported: Ss who had been betrayed previously worked hardest for a partner who had been similarly betrayed, and partners who had been betrayed earlier elicited most work from all subjects in the experimental task.

A Deservingness Approach to Respect as a Relationally Based Fairness Judgment

“…In earlier research, Lerner and colleagues (Braband & Lerner, 1975;Simmons & Lerner, 1968) have shown that participants in their studies judged the fairness of their own and others' outcomes according to whether they got what they deserved. Lerner, Miller, and Holmes (1976) note that the criteria of entitlement in such studies were the familiar "inputs" of effort, self-deprivation, relative performance or contribution that are valued in social exchanges.…”

The justice motive: Some hypotheses as to its origins and forms1

“…The data generated by Simmons and Lemer (1968) employing virtually the same situation Berkowitz and his students had used were generally supportive of the justice theory hypotheses. By and large, the subjects in this experiment were sensitive to the prior fate of the supervisor along the lines suggested by the desire to maintain justice.…”

The Consequences of Victim Physical Attractiveness on Reactions to Injustice: The Role of Observers’ Belief in a Just World

“…Researchers have extensively examined people's varied compensatory reactions to injustice, including victim derogation and blame (Lerner & Miller, 1978), helping (DePalma, Madey, Tillman, & Wheeler, 1999;Simmons & Lerner, 1968), and retribution (Carlsmith, Darley, & Robinson, 2002;Goldberg, Lerner, & Tetlock, 1999;Miller & Vidmar, 1981). If the death of a physically attractive person does pose a threat to observers' BJW, then one should expect, along with increased perceptions of injustice, compensatory cognitive and/or behavioral reactions aimed at ameliorating the threat (Lerner, 1980).…”