What Is Corruption and Bribery? A Social Representations Study From the Views of Young Adults

Corruption and bribery are often seen as the same in public messages, but people might understand them in different ways. These varying perceptions can significantly influence how anti-corruption efforts are received and understood. Therefore, we explored the perceived definitions of “corruption” and “bribery” among young adults ( N  = 253, M_age = 21.32; 59.3% female) using the structural approach of Social Representation Theory as the underlying framework, and collected data through an online survey. A prototypical analysis was conducted using IRAMUTEQ software to elicit the core elements (high important level and agreed by most people) of corruption and bribery. Results showed that respondents used the term “money” to describe corruption and bribery but distinguished them based on moral evaluations and perpetrators. Corruption was associated with negative terms like “bad” and “dishonest” and linked to the “government,” while bribery lacked such moral connotations and was associated with the “police.” The absence of consequences in social representations may provide insight into the persistent challenge of combating corruption and bribery.