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Social norms of corruption in the field: social nudges on posters can help to reduce bribery

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 December 2019

NILS C. KÖBIS Open the ORCID record for NILS C. KÖBIS [Opens in a new window] ,
MARLEEN TROOST ,
CYRIL O. BRANDT  and
IVAN SORAPERRA
NILS C. KÖBIS*
Affiliation:
Center for Research in Experimental Economics and political Decision-making (CREED), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
MARLEEN TROOST
Affiliation:
Center for Research in Experimental Economics and political Decision-making (CREED), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
CYRIL O. BRANDT
Affiliation:
Institute of Development Policy, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
IVAN SORAPERRA
Affiliation:
Center for Research in Experimental Economics and political Decision-making (CREED), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
*
*Correspondence to: Center for Research in Experimental Economics and political Decision-making (CREED), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Email: n.c.kobis@uva.nl; n.c.kobis@gmail.com
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Abstract

Corruption in the form of bribery continues to be a major societal challenge around the world. The current lab-in-the-field study tested whether dynamic descriptive norms messages on posters can help to reduce bribery. Before, during and after placing posters throughout a medium-sized South African town, incentivized measures of social norms and bribery were assessed in a mobile lab. A total of 311 participants stemming from the general population took part. In line with the pre-registered predictions, the results reveal that people: (1) perceive bribery to be less common; and (b) engage in bribery in a corruption game less frequently when the posters were displayed. The discussion outlines how social norms nudging campaigns can be leveraged to spur collective action against corruption.

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Article
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Behavioural Public Policy , Volume 6 , Issue 4 , October 2022 , pp. 597 - 624
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019

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