Anchoring and variations in the social representations of corruption

Abstract

In this paper, we examine the representations of corruption of Portuguese respondents and attempt to identify variations according to different social groups and to the general, global, or national contexts in which the phenomenon is considered. We found that “corruption, in general”, is represented by practices and motives that reflect a moral judgment, and by illegal groups and activities, as is also the case for corruption at the global level. Corruption at the global level also has a geopolitical dimension, whereas corruption at the national level is seen in a particularized way, highlighting cases and situations often debated in the media.