Magnitude and Source of Compensation in Two Situations of Distributive Injustice'

Abstract

A structural and propositional elaboration is presented of work in the area of distributive justice. An experiment is designed to test selected hypotheses derived from that elaboration. The main objec tives of the present study are: (1) to examine the amounts of compensation sought by subjects in two situations of injustice (Under/Over and Under/Just); (2) to examine whether the amount of compensation sought will differ in accord with the magnitude of injustice, when the latter is varied through a manipulation of relative inputs; (3) to examine whether subjects prefer to exact compensation directly from the source of injustice or from an 'experimental fund'; and (4) to examine whether the amount of compensation will differ in two situations, one in which compen sations can only be obtained from the source of injustice (Forced condition), and the other in which a choice can be made between taking from either the source or from an 'experimental fund' (Choice condition).

A 2 x 2 factorial design was employed with the two situations of injustice and the two conditions of compensation alternative comprising the independent variables. The results suggest a different set of predictions than those of J. Stacy Adams with regard to the rank order of injustice situations in terms of the magnitude of motivation to reduce injustice they generate. In addition, some theoretical and methodological implications are substantiated with regard to the suggestion that a given situation of injustice may vary in its magnitude, as determined by the structure of the parti cular 'minor' type involved. The results further show that subjects in the most unjust situation (Under/Over) are likely to retaliate directly against the source of injustice, while subjects in the least unjust situation (Under/Just) prefer compensation from an avail able experimental fund. Finally, subjects in the Under/Over-Choice condition exacted more money from the source of injustice than did subjects in the Under/Over-Forced condition, while subjects in the Under/Just-Choice condition took less from the source than subjects in the Under/Just-Forced condition.