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⚖️ Morality & Ethics
How sensitive are you to injustice?
What kind of unfairness triggers YOU the most?
Rate how much each bothers you: 1 (not at all) to 5 (extremely).
1It upsets me when someone cuts in line ahead of me.
2I get angry when I see someone being treated unfairly, even if I'm not involved.
3I feel guilty when I benefit from something that disadvantages others.
4I feel bad when I realize I've treated someone unfairly, even accidentally.
5I dwell on situations where I was cheated or deceived.
6I speak up or intervene when I witness bullying or discrimination.
7I feel uncomfortable using privileges others don't have (wealth, connections).
8I apologize and try to make amends if I've wronged someone.
9Income inequality and systemic injustice make me angry.
10I obsess over whether I got my fair share in a transaction or negotiation.
The Justice Sensitivity Scale
Schmitt et al. (2010) identified 4 perspectives on justice — you can be sensitive to unfairness depending on your role in the situation.
The 4 justice perspectives
- Victim (items 1, 5, 10): Sensitive when YOU are treated unfairly. High scores = entitlement risk.
- Observer (items 2, 6, 9): Sensitive when OTHERS are treated unfairly. High scores = social justice orientation.
- Beneficiary (items 3, 7): Guilty when you BENEFIT from unfairness. High scores = survivor guilt.
- Perpetrator (items 4, 8): Guilty when YOU cause unfairness. High scores = strong conscience.
Research
- Observer + Beneficiary + Perpetrator sensitivity predicts prosocial behavior
- Victim sensitivity alone predicts antisocial behavior (Gollwitzer et al. 2005)
- The distinction matters: not all justice sensitivity is morally equal
- Women score higher on all four perspectives on average (Schmitt et al. 2010)
Sources: Schmitt et al. (2010, JSS), Gollwitzer et al. (2005, victim sensitivity), Fetchenhauer & Huang (2004).