Walking the straight and narrow: the moderating effect of evaluation apprehension on the relationship between collectivism and corruption

PLoS One. 2015 Mar 27;10(3):e0123859. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0123859. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Previous studies obtained mixed results regarding the association between collectivism and corruption. To make sense of the mixed results, the current research examined the moderating role of evaluation apprehension on the relationship between collectivism and corruption. Study 1, using a bribery scenario, indicated that collectivism facilitated corruption only when evaluation apprehension was low. Study 2, using a real money bribery game, confirmed the moderated model found in Study 1. Study 3 further demonstrated the different effects of vertical/horizontal collectivism on corruption. Our results suggest that a society may effectively combat corruption by increasing its social costs while, at the same time, retaining its collectivistic values.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cooperative Behavior*
  • Crime / psychology*
  • Economics, Behavioral*
  • Female
  • Games, Experimental
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

This research was supported by the Beijing Social Science Foundation (13ZHB027), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (71071021), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities awarded to Li Liu. The funders had no role in study design, data collection, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript.