Corruption as a Propensity: Personality and Motivational Determinants Among Nigerians

Abstract

Psychologically oriented studies on corruption are lacking despite the fact that psychology has contributed enormously to the understanding of criminal behaviors over the past decades. Part of this problem relates to the lack of psychological tone in the definition and measurement of corruption. Taking a clue from the extensive psychological discourse on crime, which provides strong evidence for the existence of criminal tendencies, we conceptualized corruption here in terms of propensity. Possible personality and motivation determinants of this propensity were then explored. Results revealed that extraversion and conscientiousness positively and inversely predicted corruption tendencies, respectively. Results further showed that extrinsic motivation positively potentiates corruption tendencies, whereas intrinsic motivation was inversely related to corruption tendencies. Analysis of demographic variables revealed that males were more likely to be corrupt than their female counterparts. In general, findings here are consistent with the criminal behavior literature, which strongly suggests that the study of corruption is indeed amenable to psychological theories and methods and that individual differences variables constitute important explanatory variables in this regard.

How do foreign entrepreneurs adapt to local corruption norms in the Middle East? Institutional multiplicities and individual adaptation

“…Foreign entrepreneurs differ in their attitudes towards corruption; some are more comfortable with corruption while others make efforts to adapt. This variance of attitudes, behavioural intentions, and moral tolerance of corruption has been referred to as corruption propensity or as an individual's willingness or tendency to engage in corruption (Agbo and Iwundu, 2016;Dickel and Graeff, 2018). From a rational choice perspective, Dickel and Graeff (2018) suggest that this propensity depends on a rational calculation of expected economic gains and the probability of corruption being successful.…”

“…A measure of corruption propensity should reflect cost/benefit deliberation and norm internalisation (Dickel and Graeff, 2018). We used survey items based on prior research on corruption propensity (Agbo and Iwundu, 2016;Dickel and Graeff, 2018;Iriyama et al, 2016) with survey items measuring entrepreneur perceptions of corruption, its effect on their ventures, and their propensity to engage in corruption to further their ventures (see Appendix 1 for further details). The emphasis of this construct is not on the actual act of corruption, but on attitudes towards corruption or tendencies to engage in corruption (Agbo and Iwundu, 2016;Dickel and Graeff, 2018).…”

“…We used survey items based on prior research on corruption propensity (Agbo and Iwundu, 2016;Dickel and Graeff, 2018;Iriyama et al, 2016) with survey items measuring entrepreneur perceptions of corruption, its effect on their ventures, and their propensity to engage in corruption to further their ventures (see Appendix 1 for further details). The emphasis of this construct is not on the actual act of corruption, but on attitudes towards corruption or tendencies to engage in corruption (Agbo and Iwundu, 2016;Dickel and Graeff, 2018). Items contained such statements as 'I actively gauge people's propensity to engage in corruption through the disclosure of possible profits of potentially corrupt deals' and 'I actively exploit people's willingness to increase their personal income by accentuating the potential income from corrupt opportunities'.…”

“…In many emerging economies, corruption is a prevailing norm in economic transactions (Doh et al, 2017;Estrin et al, 2013;Helmke and Levitsky, 2004). We focus on an individual-level psychological construct -corruption propensity, which refers to an individual's psychological tendency or willingness to engage in corruption (Agbo and Iwundu, 2016;Dickel and Graeff, 2018). Corruption propensity is not the actual act of corruption but rather an attitude regarding how acceptable, appropriate, and effective an individual considers corruption to be (Dickel and Graeff, 2018).…”

Student Perceptions of Workplace Corruption and its Effect on Their Academic Motivation

“…It can be further complicated by the cultural realities of the location in which it occurs. In addition, while some attention has been paid to corruption from a psychological perspective, it is more frequently treated as a public structural problem and considered to have profoundly negative effects on the economies and development of nations and nation-states alike (and, by default, the members of said groups) (Agbo & Iwundu, 2016;Guerrero & Rodrıguez-Oreggia, 2008;Harrison, 2007;Shleifer & Vishny, 1993). Therefore, corruption is logically identified as a problem that can and should be overcome through development policy, in the area perceived to be at greatest risk.…”