scholarly journals Social Cognition and Democracy: The Relationship Between System Justification, Just World Beliefs, Authoritarianism, Need for Closure, and Need for Cognition in Hungary

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 197-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
László Kelemen ◽  
Zsolt Péter Szabó ◽  
Noémi Zsuzsanna Mészáros ◽  
János László ◽  
Josef P. Forgas
Keyword(s):  
Need For Cognition ◽  
System Justification ◽  
Need For Closure ◽  
Just World Beliefs ◽  
Just World ◽  
Far Right ◽  
Political Preference ◽  
System Justification Theory ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Political Variables

This research was aimed at examining just-world beliefs, system justification, authoritarianism, and cognitive style in a nationally representative sample (N = 1000) in Hungary, and at relating these phenomena to various demographic and political variables to find out whether the findings in Hungary would differ from its Western counterparts. According to system justification theory, there is a psychological motive to defend and justify the status quo. This theory has been tested several times in North American and Western European samples. The core finding of our study was that Hungarian people, unlike people in Western democracies, did not justify the existing establishment. There was strong pessimism with regard to the idea that the system serves the interests of the people. Members of disadvantaged groups (people with low economic income and/or far right political preference) strongly rejected the system. System justification beliefs were moderately related to just world beliefs, and there was a significant relationship between some aspects of need for closure (need for order, discomfort with ambiguity, and closed-mindedness) and authoritarian beliefs. Need for cognition was only related to one aspect of need for closure: closed-mindedness. The voters of right-wing parties did not display higher levels of authoritarianism than the voters of the left social-democrat party. The role of demographic and political variables, limitations, and possible developments of this research are discussed.

scholarly journals Movin’ on Up? How Perceptions of Social Mobility Affect Our Willingness to Defend the System

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 267-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin V. Day ◽  
Susan T. Fiske
Keyword(s):  
Social Mobility ◽  
Status Quo ◽  
System Justification ◽  
Societal Change ◽  
Just World Beliefs ◽  
Just World ◽  
Major Barrier ◽  
The Status ◽  
Baseline Conditions ◽  
Legitimizing Ideologies

People’s motivation to rationalize and defend the status quo is a major barrier to societal change. Three studies tested whether perceived social mobility—beliefs about the likelihood to move up and down the socioeconomic ladder—can condition people’s tendency to engage in system justification. Compared to information suggesting moderate social mobility, exposure to low social mobility frames consistently reduced defense of the overarching societal system. Two studies examined how this effect occurs. Compared to moderate or baseline conditions, a low social mobility frame reduced people’s endorsement of (typically strong) meritocratic and just-world beliefs, which in turn explained lower system defense. These effects occurred for political liberals, moderates, and conservatives and could not be explained by other system-legitimizing ideologies or people’s beliefs about their own social mobility. Implications for societal change programs are discussed.

“We Look (and Feel) Better Through System-Justifying Lenses”: System-Justifying Beliefs Attenuate the Well-Being Gap Between the Advantaged and Disadvantaged by Reducing Perceptions of Discrimination

2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (9) ◽  
pp. 1391-1408 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joaquín Bahamondes ◽  
Chris G. Sibley ◽  
Danny Osborne
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Well Being ◽  
System Justification ◽  
High Status ◽  
Specific System ◽  
Mediated Moderation ◽  
System Justification Theory ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

Low-status groups report lower levels of well-being than do high-status groups. Although system justification theory posits that the endorsement of system-justifying beliefs should decrease this well-being gap, the underlying mechanisms responsible for this hypothesized palliative effect have evaded empirical scrutiny. We address this oversight by arguing that system-justifying beliefs confer palliative benefits upon low-status groups by decreasing perceptions of group-based discrimination. Using nationally representative data from New Zealand ( N = 12,959), we demonstrate that ethnic minorities (Study 1a) and women (Study 1b) generally report lower levels of well-being than do New Zealand Europeans and men, respectively. Nevertheless, as hypothesized, these differences were mitigated by the endorsement of ethnic- and gender-specific system justification, respectively. Mediated moderation analyses further revealed that part of the palliative effects of system justification occurred via reductions in perceived group-based discrimination. The implications of these findings for intergroup relations are discussed.

Sentenced to Die: Last Statements and Dying on Death Row

2005 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 323-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan A. Heflick
Keyword(s):  
Terror Management Theory ◽  
Death And Dying ◽  
System Justification ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Just World ◽  
Death Row ◽  
System Justification Theory ◽  
Lack Of Control ◽  
High Death ◽  
Death Row Inmates

Moments prior to execution, death row inmates are given time to say anything they desire. In these moments, what do inmates find most important to express? This study first examined the context of dying on death row. Conflicts over high death stigma (Silverman, 1994), just world beliefs (Lerner, 1980), system justification needs (Jost & Banaji, 1994), high death salience, lack of control, and facing their own crime were explored. Next, last statements were studied. Six themes, forgiveness, claims of innocence, silence, love/appreciation, activism and after life belief, were found. Lastly, suggestions for future research on death and dying on death row were made, with special attention paid to terror management theory (see Solomon, Greenberg, & Pyszcynski, 2004 for review) and system justification theory (see Jost, Banaji, & Nosek, 2004 for review).

Antecedents and Consequences of System-Justifying Ideologies

2005 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 260-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
John T. Jost ◽  
Orsolya Hunyady
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Status Quo ◽  
System Justification ◽  
Need For Closure ◽  
System Justification Theory ◽  
Disadvantaged Groups ◽  
The Status ◽  
Antecedents And Consequences ◽  
System Threat

According to system justification theory, there is a psychological motive to defend and justify the status quo. There are both dispositional antecedents (e.g., need for closure, openness to experience) and situational antecedents (e.g., system threat, mortality salience) of the tendency to embrace system-justifying ideologies. Consequences of system justification sometimes differ for members of advantaged versus disadvantaged groups, with the former experiencing increased and the latter decreased self-esteem, well-being, and in-group favoritism. In accordance with the palliative function of system justification, endorsement of such ideologies is associated with reduced negative affect for everyone, as well as weakened support for social change and redistribution of resources.

Justice Perceptions and Demographics of Privilege Among Brazilian Adolescents

2017 ◽  
Vol 121 (6) ◽  
pp. 1086-1105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kendra J. Thomas
Keyword(s):  
System Justification ◽  
Significant Variable ◽  
Just World ◽  
System Justification Theory ◽  
Personal Belief ◽  
Perceptions Of Fairness ◽  
World Theory ◽  
Justice Perceptions ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Shed Light

Drawing from just world theory and system justification theory, this study explores how privileged status influences perceptions of justice. Data from 475 Brazilian adolescents across three schools shed light on how adolescents’ social demographics (ethnicity, education, and income) influence their perceptions of fairness. Adolescents from higher income or educational privilege backgrounds had higher personal belief in a just world (BJW), and better perceptions of legal authorities, but lower general BJW. The opposite was true for less privileged adolescents, indicating that those from lower income homes are less likely to differentiate between personal and general BJW. Contrary to the hypothesis, ethnicity was not a significant variable, but the results were in the expected direction. This research is discussed under the framework of system justification theory and just world theory and provides insight into how the theories complement each other in socially unequal contexts.

scholarly journals Just world beliefs, personal success and beliefs in conspiracy theories

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian Furnham
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Right Wing ◽  
Composite Measure ◽  
Just World Beliefs ◽  
Just World ◽  
Conspiracy Theories ◽  
The World ◽  
Personal Ideology ◽  
Personal Success

AbstractDo those who believe in conspiracy theories feel less happy and healthy than others? Do they believe the world is simply unjust? This study was concerned with how demographic factors, personal ratings of success, personal ideology (political and religious beliefs) and Just World Beliefs are related to Conspiracy Theories. In total, 406 participants completed two questionnaires: Just World scale (Rubin & Peplau, 1975) and Conspiracy Theories Inventory (Swami et al., 2010) and provided various personal details. The Just World Scale yielded two scores: Just and Unjust beliefs. Participants also reported on their health, happiness and success and a reliable composite measure of well-being was computed. A regression showed younger males, with Unjust World beliefs and politically right-wing views, were more likely to endorse Conspiracy Theories. The discussion revolved around explaining individual differences in accepting these theories. Implications and limitations are discussed.

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