Inter- and intragenerational differences in corrupt behavior: the development of morals after German reunification

Thorsten Auer, Timo Berg, Christin Hoffmann

European Journal of Comparative Economics, 2024, vol. 21, issue 2, 211 - 264

Abstract: We investigate differencesin bribing decisions among two generationsfrom East and West Germany in a bribery game conducted as an online study (N=168). This way, we aim to exploremoral considerations ofindividualsinfluenced by two formerly different institutional systems. We find a higher propensity to bribe among young Germans compared to the older generation. Young East Germans even reveal a slightly greater inclination to bribe than their West German counterparts. We conclude that preferences for personal favors may be induced among young East Germans given the tense relationship between market opportunities and conveyed cultural traits of a socialist imprint.

Keywords: Moral behavior; Corruption; Intra- and intergenerational study; Institutional transformation; Reunification (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C91 D73 D91 J14 P51 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:liu:liucej:v:21:y:2024:i:2:p:211-264

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