The effects of lanthanum dopants are investigated on the dielectric responses for Pb1-xLax(Fe2/3W1/3)(0.7)Ti0.3O3 ceramics. According to the experimental data and fitting results, it is concluded that the dielectric characteristics are changed from a long-range-ordered (LRO) ferroelectric state to a short-range-ordered (SRO) relaxor by increasing the amounts of lanthanum dopants. Furthermore, the spin glassy behaviors and the freezing process of local polarizations are not only affected by the ordering degree of B-site cations but also affected by the defect polar pairs. Their response mechanisms are proposed that the growth of the 1:1 ordered domain Pb1-xLax(Fe1/2W1/2)O-3 is impeded since its charge imbalance is enhanced by increasing the amounts of lanthanum dopants, and the defect polar pairs of lead, tungsten and oxygen vacancy are induced by the pyrochlore phase, PbWO4 or Pb0.99La0.01WO4, when the amount of lanthanum dopants exceed 5 mol.%. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.