The DOI matches its Crossref record; 63 of the 63 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Just world research and the attribution process: Looking back and ahead.
Overview
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In the citing paper
“Classic research on belief in a Just World (Lerner, 1980;Lerner & Miller, 1978) argues that people are motivated to maintain a view that the world is just by re-appraising the suffering of ostensibly innocent victims to make bad experiences seem more deserved.”
From Victim blaming and belief in karma (2024) · cites this paper as Lerner & Miller, 1978
Citations
Cites
(1969) · Cited by 18,340
The psychology of interpersonal relations
Heider, F. (1958) · American Sociological Review · doi:10.2307/2089062 · Cited by 17,189
Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity
(1969) · Postgraduate Medical Journal · doi:10.1136/pgmj.45.527.642 · Cited by 14,255
Cognitive, social, and physiological determinants of emotional state.
Schachter, S., & Singer, J. (1962) · Psychological Review · doi:10.1037/h0046234 · Cited by 6,223
Depression. Clinical, Experimental, and Theoretical Aspects.
(1968) · Annals of Internal Medicine · doi:10.7326/0003-4819-68-2-502 · Cited by 5,233
Kübler-Ross, E. (1975) · PubMed · Cited by 4,935
The processes of causal attribution.
Kelley, H. H. (1973) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037/h0034225 · Cited by 4,025
Langer, E. J. (1975) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.32.2.311 · Cited by 3,909
Self-perception: An alternative interpretation of cognitive dissonance phenomena.
Bem, D. J. (1967) · Psychological Review · doi:10.1037/h0024835 · Cited by 2,959
Self-serving biases in the attribution of causality: Fact or fiction?
Miller, D. T., & Ross, M. (1975) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/h0076486 · Cited by 2,575
Self-citationAn American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy.
Young, K., Myrdal, G., Sterner, R., & Rose, A. M. (1944) · American Sociological Review · doi:10.2307/2086087 · Cited by 2,017
(1971) · Cited by 1,778
Attributions of blame and coping in the "real world": Severe accident victims react to their lot.
Janoff‐Bulman, R., & Wortman, C. B. (1977) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037//0022-3514.35.5.351 · Cited by 965
Observer's reaction to the "innocent victim": Compassion or rejection?
Lerner, M. J., & Simmons, C. H. (1966) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0023562 · Cited by 921
Self-citationShaver, K. G. (1970) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0028777 · Cited by 839
Assignment of responsibility for an accident.
Walster, E. (1966) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0022733 · Cited by 799
Lerner, M. J. (1980) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4899-0448-5_11 · Cited by 643
Self-citationGimar, M., & Sissela, B. (2017) · Routledge eBooks · doi:10.4324/9781315082417 · Cited by 575
EVALUATION OF PERFORMANCE AS A FUNCTION OF PERFORMER'S REWARD AND ATTRACTIVENESS.
Lerner, M. J. (1965) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0021806 · Cited by 556
Self-citationRubin, Z., & Peplau, L. A. (1973) · Journal of Social Issues · doi:10.1111/j.1540-4560.1973.tb00104.x · Cited by 394
Individual and Mass Behavior in Extreme Situations
Bettelheim, B. (1989) · Saur eBooks · doi:10.1515/9783110968729.1186 · Cited by 372
Deserving and the Emergence of Forms of Justice
Lerner, M. J., Miller, D. T., & Holmes, J. G. (1976) · Advances in experimental social psychology · doi:10.1016/s0065-2601(08)60060-x · Cited by 252
Self-citationChanges in interpersonal perception as a means of reducing cognitive dissonance.
Davis, K. E., & JONES, E. E. (1960) · Journal of Abnormal & Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0044214 · Cited by 225
STRESS, DEFENSES AND COPING BEHAVIOR: OBSERVATIONS IN PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH MALIGNANT DISEASE
Chodoff, P., Friedman, S. B., & Hamburg, D. A. (1964) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/ajp.120.8.743 · Cited by 224
Victim or perpetrator?: Defensive attribution of responsibility and the need for order and justice.
Chaikin, A. L., & Darley, J. M. (1973) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0033948 · Cited by 224
Reactions to suffering of others under conditions of indirect responsibility.
Lerner, M. J., & Matthews, G. (1967) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0024304 · Cited by 218
Self-citationSome determinants of perceived control.
Wortman, C. B. (1975) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0076305 · Cited by 197
Changes in liking as a means of reducing cognitive discrepancies between self-esteem and aggression1
Glass, D. C. (1964) · Journal of Personality · doi:10.1111/j.1467-6494.1964.tb01357.x · Cited by 189
Observers evaluation of a victim: Justice, guilt, and veridical perception.
Lerner, M. J. (1971) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0031702 · Cited by 164
Self-citationEmpathic observation of an innocent victim: The just world revisited.
Aderman, D., Brehm, S. S., & Katz, L. B. (1974) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0036001 · Cited by 164
Aring, C. D. (1958) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.1958.02990210034008 · Cited by 161
Phares, E. J., & Wilson, K. G. (1972) · Journal of Personality · doi:10.1111/j.1467-6494.1972.tb00069.x · Cited by 150
MacDonald, A. P. (1972) · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0033156 · Cited by 147
Guilt, perceived injustice, and altruistic behavior.
Regan, J. W. (1971) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0030712 · Cited by 132
OBSERVER'S REACTION TO THE "INNOCENT VICTIM":
Lerner, K. J., & Simmons, C. H. (1966) · Cited by 129
Belief in a just world and altruistic behavior.
Zuckerman, M. (1975) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0076793 · Cited by 115
Schopler, J., & Matthews, M. W. (1965) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0022488 · Cited by 110
Altruism and threat to a belief in a just world
Miller, D. T. (1977) · Journal of Experimental Social Psychology · doi:10.1016/s0022-1031(77)80004-8 · Cited by 108
Self-citationRole and justice considerations in the attribution of responsibility to a rape victim
Smith, R. E., Keating, J. P., Hester, R. K., & Mitchell, H. (1976) · Journal of Research in Personality · doi:10.1016/0092-6566(76)90024-6 · Cited by 95
Attribution of responsibility for a happy accident.
Shaw, J. I., & Skolnick, P. (1971) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0030999 · Cited by 89
Resistance to improper dependency relationships
Berkowitz, L. J. (1969) · Journal of Experimental Social Psychology · doi:10.1016/0022-1031(69)90054-7 · Cited by 84
Social Psychology of Justice and Interpersonal Attraction
Lerner, M. J. (1974) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-362950-0.50020-3 · Cited by 72
Self-citationEffect of deception on reactions to a victim.
Simons, C. W., & Piliavin, J. A. (1972) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0031942 · Cited by 71
Choosing to suffer as a consequence of expecting to suffer: Why do people do it?
Comer, R., & Laird, J. D. (1975) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0076785 · Cited by 70
Attributing responsibility for an accident: A methodological and conceptual critique.
Vidmar, N. J., & Crinklaw, L. D. (1974) · Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science/Revue canadienne des sciences du comportement · doi:10.1037/h0081861 · Cited by 59
An Attributional Analysis of Moral Judgments
Ross, M., & DiTecco, D. (1975) · Journal of Social Issues · doi:10.1111/j.1540-4560.1975.tb00998.x · Cited by 58
Effects of perceived norms on attitudes and altruistic behavior toward a dependent other.
Lerner, M. J., & Lichtman, R. R. (1968) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0025903 · Cited by 54
Self-citationStokols, D., & Schopler, J. (1973) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0033966 · Cited by 53
Effect of choice and locus of dependence on helping behavior.
Horowitz, I. A. (1968) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0025590 · Cited by 42
"A little time and effort"...Who deserves what from whom?
Braband, J., & Lerner, M. J. (1974) · Proceedings of the Division of Personality and Society Psychology · doi:10.1177/014616727400100161 · Cited by 42
Self-citationReligiousness and derogation of an innocent victim1
Sorrentino, R. M., & Hardy, J. E. (1974) · Journal of Personality · doi:10.1111/j.1467-6494.1974.tb00681.x · Cited by 41
Observers' evaluations of the victim and the attacker in an aggressive incident.
Lincoln, A. J., & Levinger, G. (1972) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0032708 · Cited by 40
Devaluation of innocent victims: An attribution analysis within the just world paradigm.
Godfrey, B. W., & Lowe, C. A. (1975) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0076786 · Cited by 38
PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF THE ATOMIC BOMB IN HIROSHIMA: THE THEME OF DEATH
Lifton, R. J. (1963) · Daedalus · Cited by 36
The effects of expectancy on volunteering for an unpleasant experience.
Aronson, E., Carlsmith, J. M., & Darley, J. (1963) · Journal of Abnormal & Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0048883 · Cited by 36
Victim derogation in the Lerner paradigm: Just world or just justification?
Cialdini, R. B., Kenrick, D. T., & Hoerig, J. H. (1976) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037//0022-3514.33.6.719 · Cited by 34
Effects of valence, severity, arid relevance on responsibility and dispositional attribution
Lowe, C. A., & Medway, F. J. (1976) · Journal of Personality · doi:10.1111/j.1467-6494.1976.tb00136.x · Cited by 31
"Belief in a Just World" Versus the "Authoritarianism" Syndrome...but Nobody Liked the Indians.
Lerner, M. J. (1978) · Cited by 25
Self-citationChance outcomes and the just world: A comparison of observers and recipients.
Apsler, R., & Friedman, H. J. (1975) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0076845 · Cited by 16
Justification and compensation: Rosier skies for the devalued victim.
Kenrick, D. T., Reich, J. W., & Cialdini, R. B. (1976) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037//0022-3514.34.4.654 · Cited by 16
Effect on derogation of a victim of choosing to reduce his distress.
Mills, J., & Egger, R. (1972) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0033130 · Cited by 13
Negative expectancy and the choice of an aversive task.
Foxman, J., & Radtke, R. C. (1970) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0029389 · Cited by 13
Fl, B. (1987) · PubMed · Cited by 8
Cited by
Sorted by citations
The emotional dog and its rational tail: A social intuitionist approach to moral judgment.
Haidt, J. (2001) · Psychological Review · doi:10.1037/0033-295x.108.4.814 · Cited by 8,048
Fiske, S. T., Cuddy, A. J. C., Glick, P., & Xu, J. (2002) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.82.6.878 · Cited by 7,364
Universal dimensions of social cognition: warmth and competence
Fiske, S. T., Cuddy, A. J. C., & Glick, P. (2007) · Trends in Cognitive Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.tics.2006.11.005 · Cited by 4,567
Individual differences in reasoning: Implications for the rationality debate?
Stanovich, K. E., & West, R. F. (2000) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00003435 · Cited by 4,481
Moral Disengagement in the Perpetration of Inhumanities
Bandura, A. (1999) · Personality and Social Psychology Review · doi:10.1207/s15327957pspr0303_3 · Cited by 4,228
Metadata
- Authors
- Lerner, M. J., & Miller, D. T.
- Affiliations
- University of Waterloo (CA)
- ORCID
- Miller, Dale T.
- Venue
- Psychological Bulletin
- Published
- 1978-09
- Volume
- 85
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 1030-1051
- ISSN
- 0033-2909 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1455
- OpenAlex
- W2102050923
- Cited by
- 1,687
- References
- 63
- Citations by year
- 2026: 45 · 2025: 62 · 2024: 79 · 2023: 63 · 2022: 100 · 2021: 65 · 2020: 89 · 2019: 63 · 2018: 51 · 2017: 47 · 2016: 47 · 2015: 63 · 2014: 75 · 2013: 60 · 2012: 52
- FWCI
- 57.43
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychological Bulletin (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Management Science and Operations Research › Psychometric Methodologies and Testing
- Keywords
- just world hypothesis, attribution processes, attribution theory, perceived fairness, victim blaming
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
