Perceptions of justice are a critical factor in citizens' responses to judicial decisions, legal institutions such as juries, and other governmental activities. Lay perceptions of justice judgments carry important implications for the legitimacy of institutions and for citizen compliance. Sociolegal researchers have found evidence for two different but related theories of justice, both of which emphasize that fair procedures and respectful treatment are more important to citizens than particular outcomes. The Procedural Justice Theory holds that fairness judgments are dependent on the extent to which participants have control over the process and/or the ultimate decision. The Group Value Theory holds that fairness judgments are influenced by the trustworthiness and neutrality of authorities and whether authorities treat individuals with respect. A recent study showed that group value concerns are considerably more important for fairness judgments than control concerns. The present study will contribute to theoretical advance by testing the relative validity of these hypotheses under different conditions. Four studies will be undertaken to investigate the conditions under which individuals' fairness judgments will be influenced by control versus group value concerns. A contextual priming model is proposed to explain the conditions under which the two kinds of concerns will influence fairness perceptions. Because the model suggests that self-interest concerns are more important prior to the resolution of conflict, two field studies examine procedural fairness perceptions before settlement. Similarly, because the model suggests that self-interest concerns are more important in disputes, both field studies sample exclusively from populations of individuals in disputes (divorce and workplace disputes). In addition, two laboratory experiments will test the propositions that (a) situational factors influence the importance of control versus group value concerns, and (b) both accessibility and deservedness judgments are central to procedural fairness perceptions.
