The influence of ethnic origin on the inclination toward bribing - An experimental investigation in Japan

Individual differences in the propensity toward corrupt behavior are affected by informal institutions comprising social norms and values that prevail in a country or region. In this regard, a key determinant is the person to interact with since a trustful relationship needs to be established to facilitate these risky practices. The ethnicity of an individual is a detectable characteristic that forms beliefs about an individual and influences the behavior by stereotypical thinking that is shaped by the transmission and adaptation of former cultural norms in a society. While the inclination toward corrupt behavior has been shown to differ depending on the perceived country of origin of the opposing individual, we also find different ethnicities within a country. In the case of Japan, Brazilians, Koreans, and Chinese form the largest minority groups that are confronted with discrimination. This study investigates in conditional corruption among Japanese individuals when being confronted with individuals of ethnic minorities. An experimental bribery game will be conducted using a lab-in-the-field approach to explore this underrepresented perspective on the influence of ethnic discrimination on corrupt behavior. The design includes two treatment groups and one control group to test for differences in offering and accepting bribes depending on the ethnic origin signaled by the name of the partner during the game. Shedding light on the preconditions for individual differences in the propensity toward corruption does not only extend the existing research focusing on a rather homogenous population like Japan but also provides useful insights for officials to understand why unethical practices may emerge in their business environment.