Individual corrupt behavior: An experimental analysis of the influence factors personality and gender

Patrick Ulrich,Vanessa Frank,Stefan Behringer,Anjuli Unruh

doi:10.22495/cocv19i2art8

Patrick Ulrich, Vanessa Frank + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.22495/cocv19i2art8

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Abstract

There is no clarity in the literature on the extent to which the personality and gender factors influence the propensity of individual employees to engage in corruption. This topic is gaining importance not only in theory but also in practice due to increasing scandals and violations of regulations. In this paper, the influence of personality and gender on corruption propensity and corrupt behavior is investigated using an experimental design of 2×2 groups. A study of 134 students from different universities in 2020 served as the sample. It was found that there are significant differences in corruption propensity and corrupt behavior between subjects. The case underlying the experiment involved a company where the subjects of the experiment worked. As a result, they were asked by the CEO of the company to hand over a suitcase of money containing bribes. It was found that women showed a higher degree of conscientiousness than men, but a significantly lower propensity to corruption overall than the male subjects.

Highlights

Compliance and non-compliance have played a greater role in theory and practice in the recent past than before (Van Rooij & Sokol, 2021)
The findings suggest that the gender differences reported in previous studies may not be as universal as stated and may be more culture-specific
The experimental analysis shows that there are some cause-and-effect relationships between gender, corrupt behavior, and personality traits

Summary

Introduction

Compliance and non-compliance have played a greater role in theory and practice in the recent past than before (Van Rooij & Sokol, 2021). The disadvantage of control is that it can be applied easier ex-post than ex-ante. In any case, it does not cover all circumstances. In the area of non-compliance, there is a presumption that, depending on personality and gender, individuals experience moral dilemmas (Sutinen & Kuperan, 1999) and cognitive dissonance in relation to specific situations of violent behavior. In this respect, the goal of compliance management is to record the personality of employees and integrate it in the elaboration of tools in the area of compliance management

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