The Role of Just-World Beliefs in Predicting Dishonest Behavior

Abstract: Belief in a just world is considered an important personal variable in studies on moral behavior. However, previous studies have found conflicting results regarding the relationship between belief in a just world and dishonest behavior. The present study examines the role of belief in a just world (for the self and others) in their tendency to engage in dishonest behavior, especially in situations highlighting attention for either the self or others. The results indicated that the belief in a just world for others (other-BJW) positively predicted dishonest behavior, whereas the belief in a just world for self (self-BJW) did not. However, the present study also found that the association between other-BJW and dishonesty disappeared when participants’ attention was focused on themselves. Based on these results, we suggest that future studies explore the potential mediating effects of moral disengagement.