Are High-Hierarchy Individuals More Corrupt? The Interaction of Power and Two Forms of Status on Corruption

Journal of Business Ethics · 2025 · Volume 205 · Issue 3

Abstract

Previous research has explored whether high-hierarchy individuals are more prone to corruption, yet the findings remain inconclusive. These studies have focused primarily on the effect of hierarchical levels on corruption, neglecting to examine the interaction between power and two forms of status. To address this gap, we conducted two experimental studies—a preliminary study and a main experiment (N= 821 participants in total). Our findings indicated that power and two forms of status—‘competence-based’ and ‘virtue-based’—interact to affect corruption. Specifically, individuals in high power and competence-based status conditions engage in more corrupt behavior than those in any other combination of power and two forms of status. The findings broaden the understanding of the effect of social hierarchy on corruption and offer practical insights for curbing corruption in hierarchical-based organizations.

Keywords

Corruption, Two forms of status, Power, Interactive effect, Virtue-based status, Competence-based status

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