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Social Justice Research

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01-03-2007

Managing Equality in Social Dilemmas: Emotional and Retributive Implications

Authors: Jeroen Stouten, David De Cremer, Eric van Dijk

Published in: Social Justice Research | Issue 1/2007

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Abstract

The equality rule is an important coordination rule in symmetric public good dilemmas. Although prior research emphasized that people use the equality rule out of efficiency concerns (as it helps to obtain the public good in the most efficient manner among group members), it may also reflect a true preference for fairness. More precisely, research examining emotional and retributive reactions as a result of a violation of the equality rule by a fellow group member showed that equality indeed is related to people’s personal values and what they consider to be fair. The present paper suggests that a violation of the equality rule results in emotional reactions, and these emotional experiences encourage further retributive actions. The different reactions following an equality violation are described as a function of three features: (1) the motives to use equality, (2) attributions for explaining the violation, and (3) the honesty of the given explanation.

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Title: Managing Equality in Social Dilemmas: Emotional and Retributive Implications
Authors: Jeroen Stouten
David De Cremer
Eric van Dijk
Publication date: 01-03-2007
Publisher: Kluwer Academic Publishers-Plenum Publishers
Published in: Social Justice Research / Issue 1/2007
Print ISSN: 0885-7466
Electronic ISSN: 1573-6725
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11211-007-0032-1

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Other articles of this Issue 1/2007

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A Vigilante Model of Justice: Revenge, Reconciliation, Forgiveness, and Avoidance

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