Relative Standards and Distributive Justice: How Social Comparison Orientations Moderate the Link between Relative Earnings and Justice Perceptions
Relative Standards and Distributive Justice: How Social Comparison Orientations Moderate the Link between Relative Earnings and Justice Perceptions
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DOI：
10.1177/0190272517708810
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发表时间：
2017-09-01
影响因子：
2.7
通讯作者：
Valet, Peter
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Schneider, Simone M.;Valet, Peter
分配正义理论声称正义观念具有比较基础。他们认为，个人认为自己的收入公正或不公正的程度取决于他们的收入与类似其他人的收入的差异程度。根据最近关于社会比较的研究，我们认为社会比较取向（个人将自己与他人进行比较的一般倾向）调节了相对收入和正义感之间的联系。实证分析基于对3,744名德国员工的大规模调查数据。结构方程分析证实了社会比较取向与正义评价过程的相关性。收入低于类似其他人的个人如果也报告了社会比较的倾向，往往会认为他们的收入更加不公平。相比之下，如果个人不将自己与他人进行比较，相对收入对于正义感的影响就不那么重要了。我们的研究结果可以解释为什么处于类似情况的人们在正义感上往往存在很大差异。
Theories of distributive justice claim perceptions of justice have a comparative basis. They suggest the degree to which individuals perceive their earnings as just or unjust depends on the degree to which their earnings differ from those of similar others. Drawing on recent research on social comparisons, we argue social comparison orientationsthe general tendency of individuals to compare themselves with othersmoderate the link between relative earnings and justice perceptions. The empirical analysis is based on large-scale survey data for 3,744 German employees. Structural equation analyses confirm the relevance of social comparison orientations for the justice evaluation process. Individuals who earn less than similar others tend to perceive their earnings as more unjust if they also report an orientation toward social comparison. In contrast, relative earnings are less important for justice perceptions if individuals do not compare themselves with others. Our findings may explain why people in similar situations often differ substantially in their justice perceptions.