The Just-World Hypothesis is a cognitive bias that suggests that individuals tend to believe that the world is a fair and just place where people get what they deserve. This bias is often seen in people's tendency to attribute positive outcomes to their own merits and blame victims for their misfortune. The belief in a just world is a logical fallacy as it fails to take into account factors such as luck, privilege, and systemic inequalities that may be playing a role in the outcomes of any given situation. People who hold this belief are more likely to engage in victim-blaming and other forms of prejudice against those who have been wronged. The Just-World Hypothesis has been studied extensively in social psychology and has been found to have significant implications for how people perceive and interact with others. For example, individuals who believe in a just world are more likely to be less empathetic towards those who have experienced negative outcomes and may be less likely to help them. This bias can also lead to a lack of action towards addressing systemic inequalities and injustices in society, as individuals may believe that those who are struggling are simply not working hard enough. It is important to note that the Just-World Hypothesis is not a universal belief and can vary across cultures and individuals. Some cultures may place a greater emphasis on the role of luck or divine intervention in determining outcomes, while others may place a greater emphasis on individual effort and merit. Additionally, individuals may hold varying degrees of belief in a just world, with some being more extreme than others. In conclusion, the Just-World Hypothesis is a cognitive bias that suggests that individuals tend to believe that the world is a fair and just place where people get what they deserve. This belief can have significant implications for how people perceive and interact with others, and can lead to victim-blaming and a lack of action towards addressing systemic inequalities. While the belief in a just world is not universal, it is important to recognize its potential impact on individuals and society as a whole.
cognitive bias, victim-blaming, empathy, systemic inequalities, individual effort
CITATION : "Jonathan Lewis. 'Just-World Hypothesis.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/?E=357645 (Accessed on August 02, 2025)"
Just-World Hypothesis is the idea that people get what they deserve. It is a cognitive bias that means people tend to believe that bad things happen to bad people and good things happen to good people. It is a logical fallacy because it is not always true that people get what they deserve. For example, a kind person could get sick while a mean person could stay healthy.
Justice, fairness, retribution.
The Just-World Hypothesis is a cognitive bias that suggests that people tend to view the world as a just place in which good deeds are rewarded and bad deeds are punished. This bias is commonly seen in people's tendency to blame victims for their misfortune or attribute positive outcomes to their own merits. This type of thinking is a logical fallacy as it fails to take into account factors such as luck or privilege that may be playing a role in the outcomes of any given situation. People who hold this belief are more likely to engage in victim-blaming and other forms of prejudice against those who have been wronged.
Social psychology, cognitive bias, logical fallacy, victim-blaming, privilege.
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