ABSTRACT
This chapter highlights the role that people's motivation to clarify the state of their connection to an in-group has in driving their interest in knowing more about procedural fairness. It discusses the value of procedural fairness for providing insight into the quality of one's social relationships. Procedural fairness has been shown to impact reactions to situations as diverse as those experienced in legal settings, in educational institutions, in interactions with co-workers, and in dealing with the law enforcement authorities The chapter examines the interface of these two factors, a framework for understanding the psychology of procedural fairness in the light of such motivations will be set forth. It also discusses a membership monitoring orientation to understanding procedural fairness. This approach incorporates insights derived from relational models of procedural fairness and an appreciation of the situational contingencies and epistemic motives put forward by uncertainty management models to understanding when and why people care about procedural fairness.
