Agency and Judgment in the Study of Corruption: A Systematic Review from Psychology

Abstract

This article presents a systematic review of the psychological literature on corruption. Models, methodologies, processes, and factors involved in the study and understanding of moral judgment and agency in corruption scenarios were identified. Based on the analysis of 61 studies (conducted from 2013 to 2024) using the PRISMA methodology and bibliometric tools, four thematic focuses were identified: bribery in experimental settings, the psychological impact of perceived corruption, individual predictors of corrupt intention, and culture, values, and institutional legitimacy. The findings show that corrupt decisions are not explained by rational calculation. This cognitive phenomenon links the interaction of moral emotions (shame), relational closeness between people, the perception of contextual elements (perceived risk, institutional legitimacy), and cultural and personal beliefs. The study concludes that the psychology of moral development does not present a unified model. This heterogeneity raises the question of integrating cognitive, affective, normative, and interdisciplinary dimensions to explain corruption.