What Is the Just-World Phenomenon?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCause of Victim-BlamingExamplesExplanationsPros and ConsHow to Avoid

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Cause of Victim-Blaming

Examples

Explanations

Pros and Cons

How to Avoid

In psychology, the just-world phenomenon is the tendency to believe that the world is just and that people get what they deserve. Because people want to believe that the world is fair, they will look for ways to explain or rationalize away injustice, often blaming the person in a situation who is actually the victim.

Melvin J. Lerner proposed the just-world theory (also called the just-world hypothesis) in the 1960s. He noticed that people often thought of the world as fair and just in order to make sense of orcope with various injustices.

The just-world phenomenon helps explain why people sometimesblame victimsfor their own misfortune, even in situations where people have no control over the events that befall them.

At a GlanceThe just world phenomenon explains why people often blame people for their own misfortunes. Rather than considering external factors and feeling empathy, we often leap to conclusions and try to make people “deserve” what’s happened to them.If you notice this tendency in yourself, becoming aware of it is the first step toward making a change.

At a Glance

The just world phenomenon explains why people often blame people for their own misfortunes. Rather than considering external factors and feeling empathy, we often leap to conclusions and try to make people “deserve” what’s happened to them.If you notice this tendency in yourself, becoming aware of it is the first step toward making a change.

If you notice this tendency in yourself, becoming aware of it is the first step toward making a change.

Just-World Phenomenon and Victim-Blaming

The just-world theory suggests that when people do fall victim to misfortune, others tend to look for things that might explain their circumstances. In other words, people tend to look for something or someone to blame for unfortunate events.

But rather than simply attributing a bad turn of events to bad luck or forces beyond someone’s control, people tend to look at the individual’s behavior as a source of blame.

This belief also leads people to think that when good things happen to people it is because they are good and deserving of their happy fortune. People who are extremely fortunate are often seen as more deserving of their good luck.

Rather than attributing their success to luck or circumstance, people tend to ascribe their fortune to intrinsic characteristics of the individual. These people are often seen as being more intelligent and hard-working than less fortunate people.

Examples of the Just-World Phenomenon

A classic example of this tendency is found in the Bible’s Book of Job. In the text, Job suffers a series of terrible calamities. At one point, his former friend suggests that Job must have done something terrible to have deserved his misfortunes.

Research has shown a strong link between the just-world viewpoint and religiosity.

More modern examples of the just-world phenomenon can be seen in many places. Victims of sexual assault are often blamed for their attack, as others suggest that it was the victim’s own behavior that caused the assault.

Discrimination

Another example of the just-world phenomenon is when people blame the victims of hate crimes.For instance, in cases of police violence against Black individuals, some say there are just “a few bad apples” in the police force. But this denies the reality of the victim’s experience and the rolesystemic racismplays in the violence.

Moral Judgements

The just-world phenomenon is also apparent in discrimination and moral judgment against people with HIV or AIDS.Some people believe that those living with HIV or AIDS do not deserve access to high-quality healthcare, for instance, because they are “to blame” for their illness.

Poverty

People living in poverty often face prejudice and are blamed for their circumstances. If the world is fair, people living without adequate resources are simply not doing something right.

However, this outlook ignores the factors that contribute to poverty, including economic inequalities, lack of access to resources, and the effects oftraumaand racism.

Explanations of the Just-World Phenomenon

So, why do people use the just-world phenomenon? There are a few different explanations that have been proposed for it:

Fear of Vulnerability

People do not like to think about being the victims of a violent crime. So when they hear about an event such as an assault or a rape, they may try to assign blame for the event to the victim’s behavior.

A Desire to Minimize Anxiety

Pros and Cons of the Just-Word Phenomenon

The just world phenomenon causes problems and distortions, but it can also provide some benefits.

Benefits

The just-world phenomenon does have some benefits. Like other types ofcognitive bias, this phenomenon:

Pitfalls

Obviously, this tendency also has some major downsides. By blaming victims, people fail to see how the situation and other variables contributed to another person’s misfortunes.

Additionally, research has shown a link between belief in the just-world theory and dishonest behavior.

Instead of expressingempathy, the just-world phenomenon sometimes causes people to be disinterested or even scorn troubled individuals.

How to Avoid the Just-World Phenomenon

While it’s beneficial to be optimistic about the world around you, there are times when the just-world phenomenon might prevent you from seeing reality. These are some tips to help avoid the just-world phenomenon:

Practice Empathy

Instead of stewing inangeror irritation about someone else’s situation, try having compassion for what they’re going through. Understanding others' emotions may actuallylower your own stress levelsas well.

Avoid Victim-Blaming

Victim-blamingis something many of us do without realizing it. But remember, only the perpetrator of a crime is responsible for their actions. There are also many external factors that contribute to homelessness and poverty, for instance.

Don’t assume you know why negative things happen to someone.

By educating yourself on social inequalities, you’ll find that people are subjected to harsh realities every day. Our biases andprejudicescan keep us from seeing the truth.

How Cognitive Biases Influence Your Thoughts

Consider the Source

When you hear a story on the news, asking yourself some of the following questions can shift your perspective: Whose story is being told? Am I hearing more than one perspective or only one person’s viewpoints? Is it possible I’m not hearing the full story or all of the details?

Explore Your Emotions

Underneath your judgment of someone else’s circumstance, you might find fear and anxiety because you worry that what happened to them can happen to you, too. Process your emotions and be gentle with yourself.

What This Means For YouThe just world phenomenon might explain why people sometimes fail to help or feelcompassionfor people who are unhoused, people experiencing addiction, or victims of violence. By blaming them for their own misfortunes, people protect their view of the world as a safe and fair place, but at a significant cost to those in need.This cognitive bias can be challenging to overcome, but awareness can help. When making attributions, focus on looking at all elements of the situation. This includes accounting for a person’s behavior and things such as environmental factors, societal pressures, and cultural expectations.

What This Means For You

The just world phenomenon might explain why people sometimes fail to help or feelcompassionfor people who are unhoused, people experiencing addiction, or victims of violence. By blaming them for their own misfortunes, people protect their view of the world as a safe and fair place, but at a significant cost to those in need.This cognitive bias can be challenging to overcome, but awareness can help. When making attributions, focus on looking at all elements of the situation. This includes accounting for a person’s behavior and things such as environmental factors, societal pressures, and cultural expectations.

This cognitive bias can be challenging to overcome, but awareness can help. When making attributions, focus on looking at all elements of the situation. This includes accounting for a person’s behavior and things such as environmental factors, societal pressures, and cultural expectations.

11 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.APA Dictionary of Psychology.Just-world hypothesis. American Psychological Association.Wenzel K, Schindler S, Reinhard MA.General belief in a just world is positively associated with dishonest behavior.Front Psychol. 2017;8:1770. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01770Fox CL, Elder T, Gater J, Johnson E.The association between adolescents' beliefs in a just world and their attitudes to victims of bullying.Br J Educ Psychol. 2010;80(Pt 2):183-98. doi:10.1348/000709909X479105Kaplan H.Belief in a just world, religiosity and victim blaming.Arch Psychol Relig. 2012:34(3):397-409. doi:10.1163/15736121-12341246Sullivan AC, Ong ACH, La Macchia ST, et al.The impact of unpunished hate crimes: When derogating the victim extends into derogating the group.Soc Just Res.2016;29:310–330. doi:10.1007/s11211-016-0266-xKontomanolis EN, Michalopoulos S, Gkasdaris G, Fasoulakis Z.The social stigma of HIV-AIDS: society’s role.HIV AIDS (Auckl). 2017;9:111-118. doi:10.2147/HIV.S129992Kimera E, Vindevogel S, Reynaert D, et al.Experiences and effects of HIV-related stigma among youth living with HIV/AIDS in Western Uganda: A photovoice study. Taggart T, ed.PLoS ONE.2020;15(4):e0232359. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0232359Shildrick T, MacDonald R.Poverty talk: How people experiencing poverty deny their poverty and why they blame ‘the poor.‘Sociol Rev.2013;61(2):285-303. doi:10.1111/1467-954x.12018Nartova-Bochaver S, Donat M, Rüprich C.Subjective well-being from a just-world perspective: A multi-dimensional approach in a student sample.Front Psychol. 2019;10:1739. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01739Tollenaar MS, Overgaauw S.Empathy and mentalizing abilities in relation to psychosocial stress in healthy adult men and women.Heliyon. 2020;6(8):e04488. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04488Suarez E, Gadalla TM.Stop blaming the victim: A meta-analysis on rape myths.J Interpers Violence.2010;25(11):2010-2035. doi:10.1177/0886260509354503

11 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.APA Dictionary of Psychology.Just-world hypothesis. American Psychological Association.Wenzel K, Schindler S, Reinhard MA.General belief in a just world is positively associated with dishonest behavior.Front Psychol. 2017;8:1770. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01770Fox CL, Elder T, Gater J, Johnson E.The association between adolescents’ beliefs in a just world and their attitudes to victims of bullying.Br J Educ Psychol. 2010;80(Pt 2):183-98. doi:10.1348/000709909X479105Kaplan H.Belief in a just world, religiosity and victim blaming.Arch Psychol Relig. 2012:34(3):397-409. doi:10.1163/15736121-12341246Sullivan AC, Ong ACH, La Macchia ST, et al.The impact of unpunished hate crimes: When derogating the victim extends into derogating the group.Soc Just Res.2016;29:310–330. doi:10.1007/s11211-016-0266-xKontomanolis EN, Michalopoulos S, Gkasdaris G, Fasoulakis Z.The social stigma of HIV-AIDS: society’s role.HIV AIDS (Auckl). 2017;9:111-118. doi:10.2147/HIV.S129992Kimera E, Vindevogel S, Reynaert D, et al.Experiences and effects of HIV-related stigma among youth living with HIV/AIDS in Western Uganda: A photovoice study. Taggart T, ed.PLoS ONE.2020;15(4):e0232359. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0232359Shildrick T, MacDonald R.Poverty talk: How people experiencing poverty deny their poverty and why they blame ‘the poor.‘Sociol Rev.2013;61(2):285-303. doi:10.1111/1467-954x.12018Nartova-Bochaver S, Donat M, Rüprich C.Subjective well-being from a just-world perspective: A multi-dimensional approach in a student sample.Front Psychol. 2019;10:1739. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01739Tollenaar MS, Overgaauw S.Empathy and mentalizing abilities in relation to psychosocial stress in healthy adult men and women.Heliyon. 2020;6(8):e04488. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04488Suarez E, Gadalla TM.Stop blaming the victim: A meta-analysis on rape myths.J Interpers Violence.2010;25(11):2010-2035. doi:10.1177/0886260509354503

APA Dictionary of Psychology.Just-world hypothesis. American Psychological Association.Wenzel K, Schindler S, Reinhard MA.General belief in a just world is positively associated with dishonest behavior.Front Psychol. 2017;8:1770. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01770Fox CL, Elder T, Gater J, Johnson E.The association between adolescents’ beliefs in a just world and their attitudes to victims of bullying.Br J Educ Psychol. 2010;80(Pt 2):183-98. doi:10.1348/000709909X479105Kaplan H.Belief in a just world, religiosity and victim blaming.Arch Psychol Relig. 2012:34(3):397-409. doi:10.1163/15736121-12341246Sullivan AC, Ong ACH, La Macchia ST, et al.The impact of unpunished hate crimes: When derogating the victim extends into derogating the group.Soc Just Res.2016;29:310–330. doi:10.1007/s11211-016-0266-xKontomanolis EN, Michalopoulos S, Gkasdaris G, Fasoulakis Z.The social stigma of HIV-AIDS: society’s role.HIV AIDS (Auckl). 2017;9:111-118. doi:10.2147/HIV.S129992Kimera E, Vindevogel S, Reynaert D, et al.Experiences and effects of HIV-related stigma among youth living with HIV/AIDS in Western Uganda: A photovoice study. Taggart T, ed.PLoS ONE.2020;15(4):e0232359. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0232359Shildrick T, MacDonald R.Poverty talk: How people experiencing poverty deny their poverty and why they blame ‘the poor.‘Sociol Rev.2013;61(2):285-303. doi:10.1111/1467-954x.12018Nartova-Bochaver S, Donat M, Rüprich C.Subjective well-being from a just-world perspective: A multi-dimensional approach in a student sample.Front Psychol. 2019;10:1739. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01739Tollenaar MS, Overgaauw S.Empathy and mentalizing abilities in relation to psychosocial stress in healthy adult men and women.Heliyon. 2020;6(8):e04488. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04488Suarez E, Gadalla TM.Stop blaming the victim: A meta-analysis on rape myths.J Interpers Violence.2010;25(11):2010-2035. doi:10.1177/0886260509354503

APA Dictionary of Psychology.Just-world hypothesis. American Psychological Association.

Wenzel K, Schindler S, Reinhard MA.General belief in a just world is positively associated with dishonest behavior.Front Psychol. 2017;8:1770. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01770

Fox CL, Elder T, Gater J, Johnson E.The association between adolescents’ beliefs in a just world and their attitudes to victims of bullying.Br J Educ Psychol. 2010;80(Pt 2):183-98. doi:10.1348/000709909X479105

Kaplan H.Belief in a just world, religiosity and victim blaming.Arch Psychol Relig. 2012:34(3):397-409. doi:10.1163/15736121-12341246

Sullivan AC, Ong ACH, La Macchia ST, et al.The impact of unpunished hate crimes: When derogating the victim extends into derogating the group.Soc Just Res.2016;29:310–330. doi:10.1007/s11211-016-0266-x

Kontomanolis EN, Michalopoulos S, Gkasdaris G, Fasoulakis Z.The social stigma of HIV-AIDS: society’s role.HIV AIDS (Auckl). 2017;9:111-118. doi:10.2147/HIV.S129992

Kimera E, Vindevogel S, Reynaert D, et al.Experiences and effects of HIV-related stigma among youth living with HIV/AIDS in Western Uganda: A photovoice study. Taggart T, ed.PLoS ONE.2020;15(4):e0232359. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0232359

Shildrick T, MacDonald R.Poverty talk: How people experiencing poverty deny their poverty and why they blame ‘the poor.‘Sociol Rev.2013;61(2):285-303. doi:10.1111/1467-954x.12018

Nartova-Bochaver S, Donat M, Rüprich C.Subjective well-being from a just-world perspective: A multi-dimensional approach in a student sample.Front Psychol. 2019;10:1739. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01739

Tollenaar MS, Overgaauw S.Empathy and mentalizing abilities in relation to psychosocial stress in healthy adult men and women.Heliyon. 2020;6(8):e04488. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04488

Suarez E, Gadalla TM.Stop blaming the victim: A meta-analysis on rape myths.J Interpers Violence.2010;25(11):2010-2035. doi:10.1177/0886260509354503

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At a Glance#

Just-World Phenomenon and Victim-Blaming#

Examples of the Just-World Phenomenon#

Discrimination#

Moral Judgements#

Poverty#

Explanations of the Just-World Phenomenon#

Fear of Vulnerability#

A Desire to Minimize Anxiety#

Pros and Cons of the Just-Word Phenomenon#

Benefits#

Pitfalls#

How to Avoid the Just-World Phenomenon#

Practice Empathy#

Avoid Victim-Blaming#

Learn About Social Injustice#

Consider the Source#

Explore Your Emotions#

What This Means For You#