“I Am Not a Corrupt Criminal and What I Did Is Not Corruption!”: The Dynamics of Perceptions, Denial, and Understanding of What Corruption Is

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15826/csp.2024.8.4.309

Abstract

While a general definition has been made on which acts are considered illegal corruption, people’s understandings of what constitutes corruption behaviors are varied. The present research aims to understand the perceptions, interpretations, denials, and rationalizations of corruption by convicted perpetrators in Indonesia. How corruption is perceived and understood by perpetrators, and how these perceptions may be utilized as a basis for denying corruption accusations should be explored to have more understanding of the dynamics of corruption from the perspective of perpetrators. The data were obtained through in-depth interviews with five corruption convicts. The results show that the reasons the participants deny the accusation of corruption are as follows: (a) they know what corruption is and they believe what they do is not corruption; (b) corruption cases are political, so it is improper to call it corruption; (c) they consider themselves victims of a bad system; and (d) they think that everyone does it. Such understanding, then, is used as a tool for denial and rationalization. The findings indicate how corruption is perceived and understood can influence someone to commit corrupt acts.

Author Biographies

Zainal Abidin, Universitas Padjadjaran, Sumedang, Indonesia

Zainal Abidin is an Associate Professor at the Psychology Post-Graduate Program at the Universitas Padjadjaran, Sumedang, Indonesia. He is an advisory member of the Indonesian Association of Social Psychology. He is frequently invited to serve as a speaker on programs focused on the topic of political psychology. He has made significant contributions to the fields of philosophy, political psychology, and corruption studies in Indonesia through his published books and chapters. His research interests are in the fields of social psychology, particularly corruption, collective violence, radicalism, political psychology, organizational and industrial psychology. His main publications are: “Do Personality Traits Play a Role in Supporting Indonesian Islamic State? A Study of Fundamentalist Group Members in Indonesia” (2023, coauthored); “A Quality of Life in The Community of Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): A Phenomenology Study” (2023, coauthored).

Idhamsyah Eka Putra, Persada Indonesia University, Jakarta, Indonesia; Division for Applied Social Psychology Research, Jakarta, Indonesia

Idhamsyah Eka Putra is a (tenured) Faculty member in the Psychology Graduate Programs at the Persada Indonesia University, Jakarta, Indonesia, and Adjunct Professor at the Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, Indonesia. He is also the Director of the Division for Applied Social Psychology Research, Jakarta, Indonesia. Since 2019, he is an (honorary) Research Fellow at the Centre for the Resolution of Intractable Conflict (CRIC) and currently a Research Affiliate at the Centre for the Study of Social Cohesion (CSSC), University of Oxford. His research interests include the topics of social psychology, particularly prejudice, violent extremism, religious fundamentalism, intergroup and interreligious relations, social stigma, social exclusion, mass atrocities, and intergroup conflicts. He is known for introducing three theoretical frameworks: “Meta-Prejudice” (Putra, 2014), “Human Nature/Essence Approach” (Putra et al., 2017), and recently “TOPASC: A Theory of the Psychology of Atrocities in Societal Contexts” (Putra et al., 2024). His recent works are: “Indonesians Remember East Timor: Exploring East Timor Integration and Separation from Indonesia and Indonesia’s Past Transgressions” (2024); “A Theoretical Model of Victimization, Perpetration, and Denial in Mass Atrocities: Case Studies From Indonesia, Cambodia, East Timor, and Myanmar” (2024).

Yuliana Hanami, Universitas Padjadjaran, Sumedang, Indonesia

Yuliana Hanami is a Lecturer in the Faculty of Psychology at the Universitas Padjadjaran, Sumedang, Indonesia. Yuliana Hanami is still a novice researcher and is currently exploring her various research interests in social psychology and sociolinguistics. She is deeply interested in qualitative research methods to explore psychological issues. Her research interests revolve around language, social media, film, culture, interpersonal relationships, and political psychology. Her main publications are: “Scientific Publications Being Questioned: Understanding How Indonesian Scholars Perceive the Obligation to Publish and Its Ethical Practices” (2023); “Bullying and Social Support in Elementary School Students: A Qualitative Study” (2023, coauthored).

Sari Angraeni, Indonesian Corruption Eradication Commission (Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi), Jakarta, Indonesia

Sari Angraeni is an employee of the Indonesian Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Jakarta, Indonesia. Since 2011, she has been a researcher on corruption prevention at the Directorate of Research and Development. She has also been assigned to supervise corruption prevention programs in North Sulawesi Province. Since 2022, she has been assigned as the Head of Task Force in the Directorate of Education Networks, which aims to provide anti-corruption educational programs for all levels of education in Indonesia. Her research interests are related to anti-corruption, society, and education. Her main publications are: “Survei Penilaian Integritas”.

Published
2024-12-28
How to Cite
Abidin, Z., Putra, I., Hanami, Y., & Angraeni, S. (2024). “I Am Not a Corrupt Criminal and What I Did Is Not Corruption!”: The Dynamics of Perceptions, Denial, and Understanding of What Corruption Is. Changing Societies & Personalities, 8(4), 985–1005. doi:10.15826/csp.2024.8.4.309
Citation Formats
Issue
Vol. 8, No. 4 (2024)
Section
Articles