When justice surrenders: The effect of just-world beliefs on aggression following ostracism

• General just-world beliefs (GJWB) influence aggression after ostracism.
• Ostracized people with weak GJWB behave more aggressively.
• Perceived deservingness mediates the effect of GJWB onaggression after ostracism.

The present research examined the influence of general just-world beliefs on aggression following ostracism. The findings provided converging support for the hypothesis that people with weak general just-world beliefs, either measured (Studies 1 and 4) or primed (Studies 2 and 3), would behave more aggressively following ostracism than people with strong general just-world beliefs. Furthermore, perceived deservingness (Study 3) or attribution (Study 4) mediated the relationship between general just-world beliefs and aggression following ostracism. These findings highlight the significance of general just-world beliefs in understanding the coping responses to negative interpersonal experiences. The implications are discussed.