The belief that the world is just and that people therefore get what they deserve and deserve what they get is the?

• A. Stereotype
• B. Just-World Phenomenon
• C. Discrimination
• D. Ingroup Bias

Answer: (B)

The belief that the world is fair and that people get what they deserve is the Just-World Phenomenon. This idea suggests that people tend to justify others’ misfortunes by assuming they must have deserved them, which helps maintain a sense of order and predictability about life. It also leads to victim-blaming, because accepting randomness or misfortune for innocent people would threaten the view that outcomes reflect merit. This concept is distinct from stereotypes (generalizations about a group), discrimination (unfair treatment of people), and ingroup bias (favoring one’s own group), which describe different social judgments or behaviors. So, the Just-World Phenomenon best captures the notion that people believe the world is just and that deserves are tied to outcomes.