When Corrupt Behaviour is the Rational Choice

Dr Leena Koni Hoffmann explains how the environment in which someone lives or works can be a powerful driver of corrupt behaviour, and discusses the value of social norms research and interventions.

Explainer Video Updated 30 September 2020 3 minute watch

When Corrupt Behaviour is the Rational Choice

She outlines why a lack of incentives to avoid corruption can increase the likelihood of it occurring, and that little research has been done into why corruption happens and what informs or influences the decisions behind it.

The survey work undertaken by the Africa Programme’s Social Norms and Accountable Governance (SNAG) project is pioneering in this regard, and is showcasing why messaging around corruption is vital in tackling it.

Driving a collective change in behaviour can be achieved through careful planning, developing and testing of small-scale interventions before scaling up.