Abstract: Previously conducted studies have suggested correlations between stronger beliefs in the Just World Theory and negative treatment of victims, partially due to victim blaming and personal biases. A gap exists in the foundation people’s beliefs in a just world have been built on. This paper addresses the link between religious views and how justice is perceived in the world as well as its impact on altruistic behaviors. A survey method using Google Forms was executed for data collection. It was distributed to as many United States citizens as possible who are at least 15 years old. Aspects of the survey were modeled after an experiment titled, “Altruistic behavior and the bidimensional just world belief”. Several findings were concluded from the data, including results supporting the idea that greater religious affiliation impacts how justice is viewed by leading to a stronger support of the Just World Theory. Results refuted previous research by concluding that a stronger belief in a just world does not suggest negative victim treatment. This research can lead to the exploration of other social and personal factors that hold the potential of influencing the perception of justice in the world.

Keywords: just world theory, belief in a just world, justice, religion, religious perceptions, victim blaming, altruism, system justification theory