Impact
Social Norms and Anti-Corruption Research
Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, Philippines. Photo credit: Richard Nash
Studying the role of social norms in corruption for more effective anti-corruption programming
Objective
Expand the evidence base around social norms and corruption to inform governance and anti-corruption programming
Approach
Conducted two internally funded studies to determine the role of social norms in corruption and their impact on conservation decision-making and corruption investigators.
Impact
Findings and related recommendations highlight the importance of locally grounded understanding and analysis for anti-corruption work and checking perceptions against reality.
Corruption often undermines the sustainability of development results and has a negative impact on public trust and service delivery. However, there is no universally agreed upon definition of corruption and using the term as a blanket diagnosis is unhelpful.
Unpacking what corruption means in a specific context to the people within it, and how it manifests practically, is important for anti-corruption interventions.
Countering corruption often involves behavior change. Social norms – the unspoken and informal rules that define what behavior is appropriate among a certain group – are sometimes underlying factors that drive or inhibit specific behavior. Considering the role of social norms in corrupt behaviors can help us design more effective programs.
RTI undertook two internally funded research projects to explore these topics further. In the Philippines, in partnership with Besa Global (2022–2023), we sought to understand how social norms may be playing a role in perceived corruption among conservation institutions and, as a result, harming conservation outcomes. The second research project (2023), also in partnership with Besa Global, focused on understanding how social norms and expectations impacted corruption investigators in an African country (not named due to the sensitivity of the research).
The findings are applicable across a variety of sectors and demonstrate the importance of locally grounded understanding and analysis of corruption within a specific setting and using data to test conclusions as perceptions do not always represent reality when it comes to corruption.
Social Norms and Anti-Corruption Research Phase 1
In the Philippines, we examined corruption and social norms related to infrastructure investments and site planning decisions, as well as their subsequent effect on conservation outcomes in partnership with the USAID Sustainable Interventions for Biodiversity, Oceans, and Landscapes (SIBOL) Activity.
The study focused on the protected area management board (PAMB) of the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park and sought to answer two major research questions:
- To what degree were there issues of regularized corrupt practices within the PAMB board decision-making process?
- If there were examples of regularized corrupt practices, what was the influence of social norms?
Researchers conducted a literature review, causal loop mapping, review of PAMB meeting minutes, and 41 interviews with PAMB members and protected area stakeholders, such as the private sector and indigenous communities.
The study found that:
- Counterintuitive to anecdotal evidence and the literature review findings of broader systemic corruption, PAMB decision-making was not impacted by any one regularized corrupt practice. Local control of this PAMB was unique and may have insulated it from broader corruption dynamics in the country.
- The few cases of abuse of power for personal gain varied (i.e., were not regularized) and were not driven by social norms. Interviewees noted these behaviors were atypical and generally viewed as inappropriate.
- However, positive outcomes could become negative depending on how individuals navigate the system, representing potential corruption risks. While social norms were not driving corrupt practices, the study identified a set of indirect social norms present in the Philippines that influenced PAMB members.
Recommendations based on these findings include:
- Check that perceptions align with reality: It’s imperative to develop a specific understanding of corruption based on documented evidence rather than hearsay.
- Improve good governance mechanisms to reduce weaknesses that can be exploited for corrupt purposes, such as instituting a formal procedure for PAMB project approval.
- Future programming should consider the role of indirect social norms in influencing behavior and account for them early in program conceptualization through social norms analysis.
- Keep in mind that silence and inaction are powerful behaviors for allowing abuses of power for personal gain as well as resisting pressure to be corrupt.
RTI is using these findings to refine a methodology that will help the USAID Sustainable Interventions for Biodiversity, Oceans, and Landscapes Activity and other project teams to identify, prioritize, and test ways to shift social norms and behavior for sustainable conservation outcomes.
Social Norms and Anti-Corruption Research Phase 2
Our second study built on the process and lessons learned from the Philippines study and explored the impact of social norms and expectations on staff within a specific organization.
The study explored four major research questions:
- What are the drivers and enablers behind current challenges experienced by staff?
- What social norms influence specific behavior within the organization?
- How impactful is the norm on behavior compared to other challenges?
- What could be done in response to these findings?
Researchers conducted a literature review and interviews with 20 staff members from the organization’s headquarters and two regional offices, then analyzed the results and ranked challenges.
The study found that:
- Staff experienced social norm pressures in the course of their everyday work, the intensity of which varied by personal convictions, family and tribal background, and staff workplace location, among other factors.
- One of the strongest social norms was the expectation among communities that it is acceptable to steal government money.
- Another strong pressure from extended family was the expectation that an individual should get wealthy once they attained a government position, regardless of whether that wealth was gained appropriately or inappropriately.
Recommendations based on these findings, which were shared with the organization, include:
- Develop a practical orientation training program for staff on likely challenges and tensions they will face in their role and facilitate a regular discussion series for them to candidly share challenges and brainstorm solutions.
- Provide a warning to local government officials who are encouraging communities to violate financial regulations and to misinform communities to misappropriate government resources.
- Actively promote social capital within the organization, which will provide support to staff and lessen the loss they may experience for not adhering to or meeting external social expectations.
The study surfaced key lessons learned as well, including that the optimal time for this type of analysis is after relationships and trust have been built, which encourages greater openness among respondents to discuss challenges. The study also confirmed that corruption and social norms analysis can be used with a variety of organizations that work across development sectors.
RTI is using these findings to embed an attention to corruption and social norms in our programming and to continue to deepen our understanding of this topic and its impact on development programming.
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