Karma is a belief that many people hold closely, the idea that good deeds bring awards and bad ones, they invite punishment. But according to a new study published in the psychology of religion and spirituality, we tend to apply this belief to, depending on whom we think. When it comes to ourselves, we are more likely to attribute our success to good stern. But when others face failures, we often assume that they pay the price for past misdeeds. (Also Read: Do you often argue with your partner? Ask them these 4 questions that can change the way to approach conflicts )
Karma through a biased lens
The researchers suggested that two competing psychological motivations form our beliefs about Karma: the desire for the just world (where the violators were punished) and the prejudice of independence (our need to see ourselves in a good light). These forces affect whether we focus on a karmic punishment or a karmic award and for whom.
To check their theory, they asked more than 2,000 participants to remember the karmic event either in their lives or in a stranger. In the first study in the US with 478 participants who believed in Karma, 86% decided to write about their own experience. Among them, 59% described positive events as rewards for their good actions. But when it came to others, the scenario turned: 92% of those who recalled the karmic impressions involving someone else described the negative results.
Cultural differences in karmic thinking
In the second, large experiment with more than 1,200 people, including participants from the US, Singapore and India, the results repeated the first study. Almost 70% of those who write about themselves reported positive karmic results, and only 18% said the same thing about others. Analysis of the mood of the stories showed that self -related to karmic events were described using a more positive language.
Interestingly, this independent commitment was slightly less pronounced in the Indian and Singapore participants compared to those from the US, it is in line with previous studies that people in Western cultures are often inclined to view in excessively positive light, while Asian cultures seek more self -critical prospects.
As karma helps us to make sense of life
Ultimately, White research shows how supernatural beliefs, as karma, meet psychological needs. “Thinking about Karma allows people to take a personal loan and feel honored for the good things that happen to them, even if the reason is not understood,” she explained. “At the same time, it allows them to justify the suffering of others as well -deserved.”
This mental framing satisfies the two deep human desires: to see yourself morally good and deserved success and believe that justice exists in the world. If rational explanations are lacking, Karma comes out to fill the emotional and cognitive gap, helping people to make peace with happiness and misfortune.
