Rank, strain, and corruption among Chinese public officials: A general strain theory perspective
The problem of corruption has long been a societal focus in China. Agnew’s general strain theory (GST) offers a good explanation of the drive to engage in corruption; that is, offenders are likely to be driven by various types of strains and engage in corrupt behavior as a coping mechanism. However,...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-12-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1077544/full |
| _version_ | 1797980722112233472 |
|---|---|
| author | Kangqing Wang Mengliang Dai Yiwei Xia |
| author_facet | Kangqing Wang Mengliang Dai Yiwei Xia |
| author_sort | Kangqing Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The problem of corruption has long been a societal focus in China. Agnew’s general strain theory (GST) offers a good explanation of the drive to engage in corruption; that is, offenders are likely to be driven by various types of strains and engage in corrupt behavior as a coping mechanism. However, whether and how an official’s rank moderates the effect of strain on corrupt behavior has yet to be explored. The current study surveyed 687 inmates from 60 prisons in China who had been convicted of corrupt behaviors. The results show that although different levels of officials experience different types of strain, nearly all types of strains are significantly and positively associated with the frequency of corrupt behavior. As for the conditional effect, officials’ ranks significantly moderate the relationship between work-related strain and the frequency of corrupt behavior; that is, work-related strain is shown to have a more significant effect on officials at the clerk level (a higher rank) than on officials at non-clerk level (a lower rank). This research is believed to further expand on the applicability of GST to corruption in non-Western societies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T05:58:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2e5a37801d574ae3a82a798c2ffcf280 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T05:58:22Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-2e5a37801d574ae3a82a798c2ffcf2802022-12-22T04:41:48ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402022-12-011310.3389/fpsyt.2022.10775441077544Rank, strain, and corruption among Chinese public officials: A general strain theory perspectiveKangqing Wang0Mengliang Dai1Yiwei Xia2School of Criminal Justice, China University of Political Science and Law, Beijing, ChinaFaculty of Law, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macao SAR, ChinaSchool of Law, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu, ChinaThe problem of corruption has long been a societal focus in China. Agnew’s general strain theory (GST) offers a good explanation of the drive to engage in corruption; that is, offenders are likely to be driven by various types of strains and engage in corrupt behavior as a coping mechanism. However, whether and how an official’s rank moderates the effect of strain on corrupt behavior has yet to be explored. The current study surveyed 687 inmates from 60 prisons in China who had been convicted of corrupt behaviors. The results show that although different levels of officials experience different types of strain, nearly all types of strains are significantly and positively associated with the frequency of corrupt behavior. As for the conditional effect, officials’ ranks significantly moderate the relationship between work-related strain and the frequency of corrupt behavior; that is, work-related strain is shown to have a more significant effect on officials at the clerk level (a higher rank) than on officials at non-clerk level (a lower rank). This research is believed to further expand on the applicability of GST to corruption in non-Western societies.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1077544/fullrank of public officialsstraincorruptiongeneral strain theory (GST)China |
| spellingShingle | Kangqing Wang Mengliang Dai Yiwei Xia Rank, strain, and corruption among Chinese public officials: A general strain theory perspective Frontiers in Psychiatry rank of public officials strain corruption general strain theory (GST) China |
| title | Rank, strain, and corruption among Chinese public officials: A general strain theory perspective |
| title_full | Rank, strain, and corruption among Chinese public officials: A general strain theory perspective |
| title_fullStr | Rank, strain, and corruption among Chinese public officials: A general strain theory perspective |
| title_full_unstemmed | Rank, strain, and corruption among Chinese public officials: A general strain theory perspective |
| title_short | Rank, strain, and corruption among Chinese public officials: A general strain theory perspective |
| title_sort | rank strain and corruption among chinese public officials a general strain theory perspective |
| topic | rank of public officials strain corruption general strain theory (GST) China |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1077544/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kangqingwang rankstrainandcorruptionamongchinesepublicofficialsageneralstraintheoryperspective AT mengliangdai rankstrainandcorruptionamongchinesepublicofficialsageneralstraintheoryperspective AT yiweixia rankstrainandcorruptionamongchinesepublicofficialsageneralstraintheoryperspective |