The current study aimed to explore the influences
of moral emotions, moral ethics and perceptions of the perpe-
trator on the phenomenon of victim derogation. Based on the
assumptions of Lerner’s Just World Belief theory (JWB;
Lerner 2002) and Shweder’s BBig Three^ ethics theory
(Shweder et al. 1997), levels of victim derogation and avoid-
ance in response to vignettes were analyzed as a function of
moral content (ethic) and emotions, as well as good or bad
outcome and perceptions of the perpetrator. Study 1 examined
the influence of moral contents and outcome on moral emo-
tions, finding that disgust is salient in violation of the divinity
ethic whereas anger is salient in the autonomy ethic, and that
anger is more dependent on outcome than disgust. Study 2
analyzed the influence of moral content, outcome, and percep-
tions of the perpetrator on victim perception. Results showed
that the victim in the divinity context is perceived as more
morally positive regardless of the outcome, but is avoided
more. Also, negative perception of the perpetrator contributes
more to positive perception of the victim in the divinity ethic
than in the autonomy ethic. Perception of the victim in the
autonomy ethic is affected more by outcome, and, in line with
the JWB hypothesis, is derogated more when the outcome is
negative. The fundamental motivation of justice was shown to
be related to the link between act and outcome, but to vary by
moral content. Derogation of the victim as a defense of JWB

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• Just World Belief and Ethics of Morality: When Do We Derogate the Victim?