Belief in a just world for the self and others, Karma, system justification and well‐being during Covid ‐19 pandemic

Evidence from 15 Asian nations

Bibliographic Data

ID15087641
AuthorsPhatthanakit Chobthamkit (0000-0003-0364-2693, Thammasat University Pathumthani Thailand, corresponding author), Robbie M Sutton (0000-0003-1542-1716, University of Kent Canterbury UK), Alexander English (0000-0002-0142-146X, Wenzhou‐Kean University Wenzhou China), Tarid Wongvorachan (0000-0002-9622-3780, University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta Canada), Jesus Alfonso D Datu (0000-0002-8790-1113, The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong), Kai Li Chung (0000-0003-0012-8752, University of Nottingham Malaysia Semenyih Selangor Malaysia), Chee Seng Tan (0000-0003-2474-6942, Wenzhou‐Kean University Wenzhou China), Hirotaka Imada (0000-0003-3604-4155, Royal Holloway University of London Egham UK), Zafer Özkan (0000-0001-7831-2491, Ordu University Ordu Turkey), Farzana Ashraf (0000-0003-0110-2618, COMSATS University Islamabad Lahore Campus Lahore Pakistan), Ryan Francis O Cayubit (0000-0002-4137-3992, University of Santo Tomas Manila Philippines), Trawin Chaleeraktrakoon (0000-0001-7164-9307, Thammasat University Pathumthani Thailand), C Cheng (0000-0002-7250-2224, The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong), Chin‐lung Chien (0000-0002-4662-9918, Soochow University Taipei Taiwan), Boby Ho‐hong Ching (0000-0002-3526-7704, University of Macau Macau China), Iram Fatima (0000-0003-3492-3068, University of the Punjab Lahore Pakistan), Ding‐yu Jiang (0000-0001-5243-0588, National Chung‐Cheng University Chiayi Taiwan), Shanmukh Vasant Kamble (0000-0002-2185-8052, Karnatak University Karnataka India), Aqeel Khan (0000-0001-9338-9323, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Skudai Johor Malaysia), Hyejoo J Lee (Handong Global University Pohang South Korea), Cokorda Bagus Jaya Lesmana (0000-0001-6804-9255, Universitas Udayana Denpasar Bali Indonesia), Najma Iqbal Malik (0000-0002-3521-1014, University of Sargodha Sargodha Pakistan), Deviga a/p Marappan (Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Skudai Johor Malaysia), Deviga Marappan (University of Technology Malaysia), May Cho Min (0000-0002-8153-6995, Yangon University of Education Yangon Myanmar), Chanki Moon (0000-0002-1937-6206, Royal Holloway University of London Egham UK), Eylem Oruc (0000-0003-2707-8986, Bilecik Seyh Edebali University Bilecik Turkey), Emrah Özsoy (0000-0003-2886-8824, Sakarya University Sakarya Turkey), Joonha Park (0000-0002-0764-5173, Kyoto University Kyoto Japan), Marc Eric Santos Reyes (0000-0002-5280-1315, University of Santo Tomas Manila Philippines), Kosuke Sato (0000-0003-1429-9990), Kunitada SATO (0000-0002-0813-5319, Kurume University Fukuoka Japan), Luh Ketut Suryani (0000-0001-5683-7852, Suryani Institute for Mental Health Denpasar Bali Indonesia), Ma Criselda T Pacquing (0000-0002-9854-3876, University of Santo Tomas Manila Philippines), Arun Tipandjan (0000-0002-8079-1871, International Centre for Psychological Counseling and Social Research Puducherry India), Kwok Kit Tong (0000-0001-8594-9300, University of Macau Macau China), Cong V Tran (0000-0001-5864-6654, Vietnam National University, Hanoi), Cong Van Tran (University of Education Vietnam National University Hanoi Vietnam), Nam Tran (0000-0002-8312-9197, Vietnam National University, Hanoi), Nam Thanh Tran (University of Education Vietnam National University Hanoi Vietnam), Hsin‐yi Wang (0000-0001-8527-3320, The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong), Victoria Wai Lan Yeung (0000-0002-3479-3198, Lingnan University Hong Kong Hong Kong), Ahmad Mustqim Yusoff (Taylor's University Petaling Jaya Selangor Malaysia), Ahmad Yusmadi Yusoff (Taylor's University)
Year2025
Volume28
Issue1
Publication date2025-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAsian Journal Of Social Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1367-2223 • E-ISSN: 1467-839X
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/ajsp.12667
OpenAlexW4405329221
LanguageEN
References cited80

The World Health Organization (World Health Organization, 2020) announced the COVID‐19 outbreak as a pandemic. Globally, this situation affects people in various domains including mental health. Existing theories and research findings suggest justice beliefs are associated with mental health and may help to cope with adverse life circumstances. Participants ( N = 3694) in 15 Asian nations completed measures of belief in a just world (BJW), Karma, system justification, well‐being indices and COVID‐19 impact. The results show that BJW for the self and system justification positively predicted well‐being while BJW for others provided reverse associations. Furthermore, Karma predicted both higher life satisfaction and depression. However, COVID‐19 impact did not moderate the relationships between justice beliefs and well‐being. The results provide various psychological functions but do not consistently indicate the buffering role of justice beliefs during COVID‐19 pandemic

Disease · Economic Justice · Geography · Just-world hypothesis · Karma · Life satisfaction · Mental health · Pandemic · Political science · Psychiatry · Psychotherapist · Well-being · COVID-19 and Mental Health · Law · Medicine · Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction · Psychology · Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment · Social Psychology

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