This paper examines the diverse interpretations and contexts of the term justice, using a social-psychological perspective. It explores the traditional Indian view of justice drawing on sources, such as the epics and theoretical texts. Focusing on the prescrip tive element of various forms of justice, which it is believed are embedded in an implicit action-outcome relationship, an analysis is presented of the different aspects of this relationship, as well as the criteria used to define deservingness in specific situations. The discussion of Western perspectives includes a statement of diverse philosophical views as well as an enumeration of the major social-psychological conceptualisations including the exchange and equity theories and Lerner's "belief in a just world" hypothesis. The empirical literature on distributive justice and reward allocation is reviewed, highlighting cultural differences and those points of view that are relevant to justice in. non-western cultures.
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