A three-level meta-analysis of belief in a just world and antisociality: Differences between sample types and scales

Belief in a just world is a positive illusion believing we live in a world where we can get what we deserve. The effect of belief in a just world on antisociality remains unclear. This meta-analysis aimed to explore the relationship between belief in a just world and antisociality, including emotional, attitudinal, and behavioral indictors. The results that based on 39 articles from a sample size of N = 14,091 showed that belief in a just world was negatively correlated with antisociality (r = −0.160, p < .001). Moderator analysis indicated that the association between belief in a just world and antisociality seemed to weaken with increasing social experience. This association was stronger among students than people already employed. Besides, studies using one-dimensional belief in a just world scales and the personal belief in a just world scale showed similar effect sizes, and studies using the general belief in a just world scale showed smaller effect sizes. But no significant relationship between belief in a just world and antisociality was found in the studies that used the belief in a just world for others scale. These results seemed to indicate some subtle differences between scales used to measure belief in a just world and dimensions.