摘要：This study examined the mediating effect of blame against criminals on the relationship between punitiveness and the belief in free will. Furthermore, considering that blame against criminals and the free will belief subfactor of moral responsivity overlap conceptually, belief in free will was measured excluding this subfactor. Web surveys were conducted with 192 adults, and a mediation analysis revealed that blame against criminals mediated the relationship between punitiveness and the belief in free will. This suggests that a belief in free will strengthens blame against criminals, and this strengthened blame can promote punitiveness.
