Abstract
The 50 years of procedural justice research is characterized by a rapid succession of theoretical innovations, an increasing number of fields in which the knowledge is applied, and an increasing amount of researchers. In the present overview of procedural justice, research attention is given to the several theoretical innovations and the research outcomes that support or refute theoretical approaches. Special emphasis is laid on the antecedents, processes, and consequences of procedural justice.
Two main antecedents of the emergence of procedural justice feelings are people’s uncertainty about relationships etc. and the basic anxiety of being aware of own mortality. Moreover, procedural justice feelings will be elicited when they stem from undeserved treatment: the treatment received deviates from the treatment people think they deserve or are entitled to. The physiological and psychological components of the discrepancy are discussed.
Procedural justice processes are modeled according to the specific distribution with which the procedure is connected, the accompanying cognitions and emotions, and the factors moderating procedural justice processes (e.g., personality factors). Positive and negative consequences of procedural (in) justice are differentiated. Among the positive consequences of procedural justice are discussed: cooperation, stress reduction, fair personnel selection. Negative consequences of procedural injustice are “bad” outcomes (e.g., absenteeism) and “ugly” outcomes like theft and aggression.
In the discussion, the three functions of procedural justice with regard to eliciting procedural justice feelings are summarized: the individual, the social, and the moral function. In the remaining part of the discussion, some directions of future research are mentioned.
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Vermunt, R., Steensma, H. (2016). Procedural Justice. In: Sabbagh, C., Schmitt, M. (eds) Handbook of Social Justice Theory and Research. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3216-0_12
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