Belief in a just world, teacher justice, and student achievement: A multilevel study

The meaning of belief in a just world and students' subjective experience of the justice of their teachers' behavior toward them personally for academic achievement was examined. Sample 1 involved 947 secondary school students from 67 classes (grade levels 9 to 11), and Sample 2 718 students from 48 classes (grade level 9). Multilevel analyses revealed that the more the students believed in a personal just world, the more they felt their teachers' behavior toward them personally to be just and the better grades they received; the association between BJW and student achievement was fully mediated by teacher justice experience. It was concluded that personally experienced teacher justice is a key feature of a school environment that is conducive to student achievement.

► Students' just-world-belief explained their personal teacher justice experience.
► Students' with a stronger just-world-belief received better grades.
► Students' with a stronger teacher justice experience received better grades.
► Teacher justice experience mediated the association of just-world-belief and grades.
► Pattern persisted when controlled for group-level differences in grades via HLM.