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Entitlement and the Affectional Bond pp 175–203Cite as

Perspective-Related Differences in Interpretations of Injustice by Victims and Victimizers

A Test with Close Relationships

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Part of the book series: Critical Issues in Social Justice ((CISJ))

Abstract

Discrepancies in views about what is to be regarded as just and unjust are among the core problems of injustice. Judgments of injustice presuppose observations that people’s entitlements have been violated, that is, that they do not get what they are due by virtue of who they are and what they have done (cf. Buchanan & Mathieu, 1986; Cohen, 1986; Lerner, 1977, 1991). In addition to this most basic element, attributions of responsibility for the violation of entitlement to some other agent than the person affected, and lack of justification for the violation, have been proposed as important components of judgments of injustice (e.g., Cohen, 1982; Crosby & Gonzales-Intal, 1984; Folger, 1986; Mikula, 1993; Mikula & Petri, 1987; Montada, 1991; Utne & Kidd, 1980). If one considers the subjective nature of these various elements, disagreements over the existence of injustice seem likely. They can follow from different views about the nature of the entitlements of certain people, whether and to what extent any existing entitlements have been violated, the responsibilities of various agents, the availability of sufficient justifications, and any combination of these possibilities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Graz, A-8010, Graz, Austria

    Gerold Mikula

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  1. Gerold Mikula
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, 63130-4899, USA

    Melvin J. Lerner

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Graz, A-8010, Graz, Austria

    Gerold Mikula

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Mikula, G. (1994). Perspective-Related Differences in Interpretations of Injustice by Victims and Victimizers. In: Lerner, M.J., Mikula, G. (eds) Entitlement and the Affectional Bond. Critical Issues in Social Justice. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0984-8_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0984-8_8

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