Abstract
The belief in a just world has been found to be related to rule breaking behavior. However, research has yet to determine whether the same relation holds for corrupt behavior. The current study focused on identifying whether the belief in a just world is a factor that predicts bribery behavior. We hypothesized that people with a weaker belief in a just world would be more likely to report that they had given a bribe compared with people with a strong belief in a just world. A retrospective design was used to conduct a study in Lithuania. Belief in a just world was measured with two scales for assessing personal and general beliefs in a just world. We measured bribery behavior by asking participants (N = 316) to report how many times they had given a bribe during the past 5 years. The results showed that a personal belief in a just world predicted bribery behavior, whereas a general belief in a just world did not. We discuss implications for further studies.
Highlights
The belief in a just world has been found to be related to rule breaking behavior
This study focuses on active petty corruption, that is, bribe giving behavior and its correlates
The two most common reasons for giving bribes were bribing as a measure to fix problems (34%) and bribing out of conformity– because everybody gives bribes (21%) (Transparency International, 2016). These results demonstrate the prevalence of a corruption culture in Lithuania
Summary
The belief in a just world has been found to be related to rule breaking behavior. research has yet to determine whether the same relation holds for corrupt behavior. The current study focused on identifying whether the belief in a just world is a factor that predicts bribery behavior. The results showed that a personal belief in a just world predicted bribery behavior, whereas a general belief in a just world did not. There is no single and universal definition (Langseth, 2006); different fields of study define it in their own ways (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2003), and the perception of corruption may differ across different cultures. Grand corruption involves acts that include the national government and huge amounts of money, whereas petty corruption involves small amounts that are used for minor benefits (Langseth, 2006). This study focuses on active petty corruption, that is, bribe giving behavior and its correlates
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