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What is Fair Punishment for Alex or Ahmed? Perspective Taking Increases Racial Bias in Retributive Justice Judgments

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Abstract

Previous research frequently found that perspective taking may reduce various sorts of racial biases. In the present research, we propose that perspective taking may increase racial bias in the specific context of retributive justice judgments, that is, evaluations of what punishment is considered fair for offenders. In two studies, we manipulated whether or not participants took the perspective of a target offender, who was named either Alex or Ahmed. Results revealed evidence for racial bias under conditions of perspective taking in both studies: Perspective taking increased punishment for Ahmed, but not for Alex, in a theft case (Study 1). Furthermore, perspective taking decreased punishment for Alex, but not for Ahmed, in the case of less severe offense that is less clearly intentional (Study 2). The consequence is similar in both studies: More severe retributive justice judgments for Ahmed than for Alex under conditions of perspective taking.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social and Organizational Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Jan-Willem van Prooijen

  2. The Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR), Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Jan-Willem van Prooijen

  3. Department of Public & Occupational Health, VU Medical Center, EMGO+ Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Jennifer Coffeng

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  1. Jan-Willem van Prooijen
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  2. Jennifer Coffeng
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Correspondence to Jan-Willem van Prooijen.

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van Prooijen, JW., Coffeng, J. What is Fair Punishment for Alex or Ahmed? Perspective Taking Increases Racial Bias in Retributive Justice Judgments. Soc Just Res 26, 383–399 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11211-013-0190-2

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