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.