What is the Just World Effect?

Just-World Effect is the human tendency to believe the world is “just” and so therefore people “get what they deserve”.

It is the assumption and cognitive bias that a person’s actions inherently lead to morally fair and fitting consequences to that person, to the end of all noble actions being eventually rewarded and all evil actions eventually punished.

It is one form of many cognitive biases that is particularly relevant for managers working in the fields of business ethics and corporate responsibility.