Physiological and behavioral patterns of corruption
We study the behavior and emotional arousal of the participants in an experimental auction, leading to an asymmetric social dilemma involving an auctioneer and two bidders. An antisocial transfer (bribe) which is beneficial for the auctioneer (official) is paid, if promised, by the winner of the auc...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2014-12-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00434/full |
| _version_ | 1818511877545656320 |
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| author | Tarek eJaber-López Aurora eGarcía-Gallego Aurora eGarcía-Gallego Pandelis ePerakakis Nikolaos eGeorgantzis Nikolaos eGeorgantzis |
| author_facet | Tarek eJaber-López Aurora eGarcía-Gallego Aurora eGarcía-Gallego Pandelis ePerakakis Nikolaos eGeorgantzis Nikolaos eGeorgantzis |
| author_sort | Tarek eJaber-López |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We study the behavior and emotional arousal of the participants in an experimental auction, leading to an asymmetric social dilemma involving an auctioneer and two bidders. An antisocial transfer (bribe) which is beneficial for the auctioneer (official) is paid, if promised, by the winner of the auction. Some pro-social behavior on both the auctioneers' and the bidders' sides is observed even in the absence of any punishment mechanism (Baseline, Treatment 0). However, pro-social behavior is adopted by the vast majority of subjects when the loser of the auction can inspect the transaction between the winner and the auctioneer (Inspection, Treatment 1). The inspection and punishment mechanism is such that, if a bribe is (not) revealed, both corrupt agents (the denouncing bidder) lose(s) this period's payoffs. This renders the inspection option unprofitable for the loser and is rarely used, especially towards the end of the session, when pro-social behavior becomes pervasive. Subjects' emotional arousal was obtained through skin conductance responses. Generally speaking, our findings suggest that stronger emotions are associated with decisions deviating from pure monetary reward maximization, rather than with (un)ethical behavior per se. In fact, using response times as a measure of the subject's reflection during the decision-making process, we can associate emotional arousal with the conflict between primary or instinctive and secondary or contemplative motivations and, more specifically, with deviations from the subject's pure monetary interest. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T23:39:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-32ad4d9537a84595b7b975351579af0c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1662-5153 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T23:39:01Z |
| publishDate | 2014-12-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-32ad4d9537a84595b7b975351579af0c2022-12-22T01:29:05ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience1662-51532014-12-01810.3389/fnbeh.2014.00434120902Physiological and behavioral patterns of corruptionTarek eJaber-López0Aurora eGarcía-Gallego1Aurora eGarcía-Gallego2Pandelis ePerakakis3Nikolaos eGeorgantzis4Nikolaos eGeorgantzis5Universitat Jaume IUniversitat Jaume IUniversity of ReadingUniversity of GranadaUniversity of ReadingUniversitat Jaume IWe study the behavior and emotional arousal of the participants in an experimental auction, leading to an asymmetric social dilemma involving an auctioneer and two bidders. An antisocial transfer (bribe) which is beneficial for the auctioneer (official) is paid, if promised, by the winner of the auction. Some pro-social behavior on both the auctioneers' and the bidders' sides is observed even in the absence of any punishment mechanism (Baseline, Treatment 0). However, pro-social behavior is adopted by the vast majority of subjects when the loser of the auction can inspect the transaction between the winner and the auctioneer (Inspection, Treatment 1). The inspection and punishment mechanism is such that, if a bribe is (not) revealed, both corrupt agents (the denouncing bidder) lose(s) this period's payoffs. This renders the inspection option unprofitable for the loser and is rarely used, especially towards the end of the session, when pro-social behavior becomes pervasive. Subjects' emotional arousal was obtained through skin conductance responses. Generally speaking, our findings suggest that stronger emotions are associated with decisions deviating from pure monetary reward maximization, rather than with (un)ethical behavior per se. In fact, using response times as a measure of the subject's reflection during the decision-making process, we can associate emotional arousal with the conflict between primary or instinctive and secondary or contemplative motivations and, more specifically, with deviations from the subject's pure monetary interest.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00434/fullEmotionsEthicsSkin conductance responseResponse TimeCorruption |
| spellingShingle | Tarek eJaber-López Aurora eGarcía-Gallego Aurora eGarcía-Gallego Pandelis ePerakakis Nikolaos eGeorgantzis Nikolaos eGeorgantzis Physiological and behavioral patterns of corruption Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience Emotions Ethics Skin conductance response Response Time Corruption |
| title | Physiological and behavioral patterns of corruption |
| title_full | Physiological and behavioral patterns of corruption |
| title_fullStr | Physiological and behavioral patterns of corruption |
| title_full_unstemmed | Physiological and behavioral patterns of corruption |
| title_short | Physiological and behavioral patterns of corruption |
| title_sort | physiological and behavioral patterns of corruption |
| topic | Emotions Ethics Skin conductance response Response Time Corruption |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00434/full |
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