Preference for the Merit Principle Scale: An Individual Difference Measure of Distributive Justice Preferences

Authors: Davey L.M.¹; Bobocel D.R.²; Son Hing L.S.¹; Zanna M.P.¹

Source: Social Justice Research, Volume 12, Number 3, September 1999 , pp. 223-240(18)

Publisher: Springer

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Abstract:

The present paper describes the development and validation of the Preference for the Merit Principle (PMP) Scale, a measure to assess people's preference for allocating outcomes on the basis of the distributive justice principle of merit. On the basis of data from a large sample of undergraduate students, we tested the construct and predictive validity of the scale and compared the results with the performance of two existing justice scales (Rasinski's, 1987, Proportionality Scale, and Rubin and Peplau's, 1975, Belief in a Just World Scale). Overall, we found that the PMP Scale had superior construct validity as compared with the Proportionality Scale. In brief, the PMP Scale was more independent of conceptually distinct constructs, such as prejudice and right-wing authoritarianism. In addition, unlike the Proportionality and Just World Scales, the PMP Scale was able to predict participants' future attitudes toward affirmative action

Keywords: distributive justice; merit principle; affirmative action

Language: English

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: University of Waterloo 2: Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1 rbobocel@watarts.uwaterloo.ca

Publication date: 1999-09-01