Self-respect and responsibility : understanding individuals' entitlement beliefs and their association with concern for others' rights

People differ in their understanding of the (civic) rights they are endowed with in modern societies. Whereas a perception of having more rights than others has been linked to over-individualistic attitudes and negative interpersonal behavior, a perception of having the same rights as others (i.e., self-respect) can be assumed to facilitate a balance between concern for one's own and others' rights. In two cross-sectional studies, we showed that self-respect was associated with concern for human rights and with concern for the rights of future generations even when controlling for other entitlement beliefs. The results also showed that a feeling of social responsibility mediated these relationships. The broader consequence for balancing rights and duties to achieve social harmony are discussed.