Distribution vs. Retribution: The Perceived Justice of the Contribution and Equality Principles for Cooperative and Competitive Relationships

• Published in: Acta Sociologica Vol. 30; no. 1; pp. 25 - 52
• Main Authors: Törnblom, Kjell Y., Jonsson, Dan R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Thousand Oaks, CA Universitetsforlaget 1987; Sage Publications; Scandinavian University Press; Munksgaard
• Subjects: Competition; Competitiveness; Conformity; Cooperation; Distribution; Distributive Justice; Equality; EQUALITY OR INEQUALITY; Equity; Ethics and moral life; Fairness; Females; Justice; Motivation; Nurses; Perceptions; Procedural justice; Punishment; RESOURCE ALLOCATION; Retributive justice; Social behavior; Social co-operation; Social interaction; Social psychology; Sociology; Sociology of knowledge and ethics; Sociology of knowledge and sociology of culture; Students; Sweden
• ISSN: 0001-6993; 1502-3869; 2067-3809
• DOI: 10.1177/000169938703000102

Research on justice in resource allocation has primarily focused on distribution (the allocation of positive outcomes), while retribution (the allocation of negative outcomes) has been neglected. This study deals with the question whether the equality and contribution principles are differentially evaluated in distribution as compared to retribution. On the basis of a model featuring distinctions among four 'behavioral modalities' (positive and negative commission and omission) and two types of 'actor relationship' (cooperative and competitive), a set of eight propositions was generated. Four of them were tested in a questionnaire study with Swedish female subjects. Equality was considered just in all conditions of distribution and retribution, while the contribution rule was seen as unjust in all but two conditions of distribution. For cooperative relationships the equality rule was considered more just in distribution than in retribution, while the contrary was found for competitive relationships. The contribution rule was rated less unjust in distribution than in retribution for both types of relationship. The discussion of these and other findings results in several suggestions for further research.