Rethinking injury and unfairness
Why do some people focus on the injustice of their injury while others move on with equanimity? Researchers have uncovered strong relationships between perceptions of injustice, feeling that someone else is to blame and experiencing hardship.
Injury is often accompanied by loss (of capacities, independence, workability) and suffering. “Perceived injustice” refers to the perception that the injury itself, and / or the pain and suffering that it causes, are unfair, severe, or irreparable. There is a strong relationship between perceived injustice and negative outcomes, including delayed return to work. But what is it that makes certain injuries seem unfair? Does a sen...