Through the looking glass: Focusing on long‐term goals increases immanent justice reasoning. (11th January 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Callan, Mitchell J.; Harvey, Annelie J.; Dawtry, Rael J.; Sutton, Robbie M.
• Is Part Of: British journal of social psychology. Volume 52:Part 2(2013:Jun.)
• Page Start: 377
• Page End: 385
• Publication Date: 2013-01-11
• Subjects: Social psychology -- Periodicals; 302.05
• DOI: 10.1111/bjso.12022
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0144-6665

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="bjso12022-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>Immanent justice reasoning involves causally attributing a negative event to someone's prior moral failings, even when such a causal connection is physically implausible. This study examined the degree to which immanent justice represents a form of motivated reasoning in the service of satisfying the need to believe in a just world. Drawing on a manipulation that has been shown to activate justice motivation<bold>, </bold> participants causally attributed a freak accident to a man's prior immoral (vs. moral) behaviour to a greater extent when they first focused on their long‐term (vs. short‐term) goals. These findings highlight the important function believing in a just world plays in self‐regulatory processes by implicating the self in immanent justice reasoning about fluke events in the lives of others.</p> </abstract>