Th is study, conducted inW hen a person has committed bad deeds toward someone or a group of persons, this person is deemed to be guilty. Guilt is attributed on the basis of a discrepancy between this person's behavior and social norms (e.g., the law). In some European and African countries, guilt can, for this reason, be associated with the absence of any concrete deed. For example, when a person has witnessed others' bad deeds and has decided not to do anything to redress the situation, this person is also deemed to be guilty, even if he or she has not personally benefi ted from the perpetrator's deeds (Belgium n.d.; Germany n.d.; Rwanda n.d.b). Although guilt from a juridical viewpoint is a dichotomous concept, retribution for being guilty is not. Th e level of severity of punishment or penalty depends on the many circumstances that surround the presence of antisocial behavior or the absence of prosocial behavior (e.g., attenuating circumstances).
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