Responses Toward Injustice Shaped by Justice Sensitivity – Evidence From Germany

Abstract

Anger, indignation, guilt, rumination, victim compensation, and perpetrator punishment are considered primary responses associated with justice sensitivity (JS). However, injustice and high JS may predispose to further responses. We had N = 293 adults rate their JS, 17 potential responses toward 12 unjust scenarios from the victim’s, observer’s, beneficiary’s, and perpetrator’s perspectives, and several control variables. Unjust situations generally elicited many affective, cognitive, and behavioral responses. JS generally predisposed to strong affective responses toward injustice, including sadness, pity, disappointment, and helplessness. It impaired trivialization, victim-blaming, or justification, which may otherwise help cope with injustice. It predisposed to conflict solutions and victim compensation. Particularly victim and beneficiary JS had stronger effects in unjust situations from the corresponding perspective. These findings add to a better understanding of the main and interaction effects of unjust situations from different perspectives and the JS facets, differences between the JS facets, as well as the links between JS and behavior and well-being.

Belief in a just world and fair behavior among clinical nurses: a moderated mediation model of empathy and observer justice sensitivity

“…Observer justice sensitivity was assessed using the Chinese version of the observer justice sensitivity Scale [ 33 ]. The scale consists of 10 questions, each scored on a six-point scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 6 (strongly agree).…”

“…Prosocial behavior is associated differently with each factor [ 30 ]. For instance, individuals with higher observer justice sensitivity frequently perceive the unjust treatment of others without being involved, react with indignation, and strive for compensating the victim and/or punishing the perpetrator [ 33 ]. Specifically, individual differences in observer justice sensitivity positively correlate with compensatory behaviors toward those treated unfairly [ 34 ].…”

Vicarious comparative victimhood: Introducing a framework to illustrate vicariously experienced inequalities in behaviors toward members of victimized groups.

“…Important interindividual difference variables for the present context include justice sensitivity (e.g., Bondü et al, 2022), and, closely related, sensitivity to befallen injustice (Schmitt, 1996). Measures of these constructs reliably predict emotional, cognitive, and behavioral responses to perceptions of injustice.…”

The fairness of human resource management practices: an assessment by the justice sensitive

“…Although all four facets capture individual differences, victim sensitivity reflects a self-oriented concern with being personally treated unfairly by others. In contrast, observer, beneficiary, and perpetrator sensitivities all relate to a genuine concern for the justice experienced by others ( Fetchenhauer and Huang, 2004 ; Schmitt et al, 2010 ; Lotz et al, 2011 ; Decety and Yoder, 2016 ; Bondü et al, 2022 ). The victim-sensitive are motivated by egoistic concerns whereas observer, beneficiary, and perpetrator facets share altruistic concerns.…”