Status, religion, and the "belief in a just world": Comparing African Americans, Latinos, and Whites.

Abstract

While a substantial literature on the belief in a just world exists, we know little about who actually believes that the world is just. This study (1) examines several existing explanations for just-world beliefs, and (2) compares the beliefs of African Americans, Latinos, and whites. Survey data collected in 1993 from a sample of southern Californians are used to test whether race/ethnicity, gender, SES, age, and religion shape just-world beliefs. In addition, the question of whether African Americans, Latinos, and whites differ in the effects of these variables is examined. Significant race/ethnic differences are found, with Latinos showing the strongest support for the belief in a just world and blacks, the weakest. Significant differences are also found by SES and gender, with greatest support for just-world beliefs found among men and persons of low SES; and, religious affiliation shapes the belief in a just world, but church attendance does not. Finally, race/ethnic differences are found for several determinants of the belief in a just world. This study suggests that existing knowledge of the belief in a just world reflects a white experience of the world traceable to the neglect of blacks and Latinos in past research