Using Moral Foundations Theory when introducing Restorative Justice Processes: Effects of moral framing on the decision to participate in victim-offender mediation

Previous research focused on the role of moral foundations and the retributive and restorative justice orientations on the decision to participate in Restorative Justice (RJ) processes, specifically victim-offender mediation. Building on those previous findings, this research project is focused on the analysis of the effect of morally framing the introduction of the mediation process, in the initial letter sent by the mediation services to victims and during the preparatory meeting, on the decision to participate in the preparatory meeting and on the decision to effectively participate in the mediation process, respectively. Using experimental designs and convenience samples of college students and general adults in Phase I of the project and convenience samples of real victims of crime and offenders in Phase II, the research project aims to contribute to a sound theoretical framework but also to practice oriented knowledge, given the possible applicability of the results to RJ practices.