Justice, Power, and Forgiveness

In this talk I will share an overview of my research in three domains. First, the belief in a just world is one of the most ubiquitous theories of justice within social psychology. This belief refers to the perception that in a stable and orderly world people get what they deserve and deserve what they get. My research has established that this perception is empowering and leads to a range of adaptive outcomes. I have also found evidence for the stability of just world beliefs across cultures and that life experiences influence the development of these beliefs. Just world beliefs also fulfil a unique function in politics, romantic relationships, and the tendency to engage in conspiratorial thinking. My research contributions to the fields of power and forgiveness revolve around the development of psychometric measures. Recently, I have helped developed a measure of empowerment-the episodic or momentary experience of power. Beyond its immediate contribution to the field, the principles derived from developing an accurate state measure are of a wider benefit to experimentalists across fields. Further, I have also helped developed, and am in the midst of validating, a self-report measure of divine forgiveness-one's perception and experience of being forgiven by a higher power. This work will help establish the burgeoning research on divine forgiveness on a firm footing.