How fair is my world? Development of just world beliefs among Kenyan students.

This study is a cross-sectional analysis of Kenyan adolescents' beliefs in a just world (BJW). Prior research suggests that BJW declines across adolescence and differentiate between Personal and General BJW. However, little research has been conducted in African samples or developing economies. Adolescents from three schools in Western Kenya (n = 1960) completed the questionnaires to understand how their Personal and General BJW differed across grades, and between schools, tribes, and sexes. Contrary to prior research, there was not a downward trend of BJW across adolescence. Instead, the trajectory was dependent upon the school and demographics. There were significant differences between males and females, which may reflect gender inequalities of the traditional Kenyan society. There were also significant differences between tribal groups, with those in dominant or majority tribes having higher perceptions of justice. This study discusses the role that inequality plays in adolescents' BJW and the implications for future cross-cultural research.