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2010
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Arkin, Robert M. (2010): Handbook of the uncertain self. New York, NY: Psychology Press
Abstract: This chapter focuses on the relationship between the uncertain self and how people respond to fair and unfair events. In this chapter we intend to argue for two general messages. First, we will propose that experienced fairness may have some special qualities that cause fairness judgments to have an especially strong impact on people's reactions when they are uncertain about themselves or even when they have only been reminded briefly about their personal uncertainties. We argue that these qualities of fairness judgments probably have something to do with the experience of fair treatment being especially well-suited for people to rely upon as they seek to manage personal uncertainty. The experience of fair or unfair treatment seems thus to be involved in processes of self-regulation. In making our case, we will argue that both social psychology in general and the literature on the uncertain self in particular can learn important things from the study of fairness judgments. We review research findings and discuss conceptual ideas that reveal some clear instances in which the social psychology of fairness judgments provides new insights compared to other social psychological theories and research findings. The second thing we propose here is that, while definitely important, fairness judgments may not be as unique as sometimes is assumed to be the case in the literature on fairness and social justice. That is, we will argue in this chapter that, to a far greater extent than is generally asserted or assumed in the fairness literature, the way people form fairness judgments and how they respond to fairness issues share many characteristics with the social psychological processes studied in research on worldview defense (e.g., Greenberg, Solomon, & Pyszczynsld, 1997), self-regulation (e.g., Higgins, 2006), the human alarm system (e.g., Eisenberger, Lieberman, & Williams, 2003), experiential mindsets (e.g., Epstein & Pacini, 1999), groups and group entativity (e.g., Hogg, 2007), individual differences in affect intensity (e.g., Larsen, Diener, & Cropanzano, 1987), and the relationship between affect and social cognition (e.g., Schwarz & Clore, 1983). The similarity between fairness and other social psychological processes implies, we believe, that the fairness literature should focus more on process-oriented research, broadening its attention to other relevant social psychological processes. This plea for a stronger focus on process issues can be summarized by saying that we think the social psychology of fairness would benefit from a stronger focus on social psychology. Thus, we are arguing for a more balanced view with respect to both the fairness literature (which we think should incorporate more insights from other social psychological literatures) and social psychology (which may want to consider paying more attention to the fairness judgment process). The integration of fairness studies and core social psychological studies will, we believe, have substantial benefits for both research areas. In the remainder of this chapter, we will describe our current, updated thinking on the relationship between personal uncertainty and social fairness phenomena. In doing so, we hope to illustrate the validity of these propositions as we discuss how fairness judgments seem to function as a crucial tool with which people manage uncertainty about themselves, the world around them, and the interrelation between the two. Indeed, we will suggest that fairness judgments may be formed because they manage uncertainty and that the fairness judgment process is in fact directed by the need to resolve uncertainty surrounding the self and the social world. In the sections that follow in this chapter we focus on some basic issues pertaining to uncertainty and fairness and the relationship between these two core social psychological concepts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
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