Propensity to Corrupt Decisions of Pre-Candidates to the 2020 Brazilian Municipal Elections

Abstract

- Objective: to analyze the propensity for corrupt decision-making by pre-candidates for mayor and councilor, analyzing the 2020 Brazilian municipal elections. - Theoretical framework: the study is theoretically based on the behavioral aspect of corruption, as deviant behavior, as well as intrinsic and extrinsic motivations to corruption, which are subdivided into: propensity to unethical decision-making, individual self-control, moral identity, guilt, and disengagement moral. - Methodology: A quantitative, exploratory, and descriptive study was conducted. In the operationalization, a cross-sectional survey was used, with the data collected through a structured questionnaire applied to a valid sample of 115 pre-candidates for the 2020 municipal elections. The data analysis used univariate and bivariate statistical techniques. - Results: (1) a sample have low propensity for unethical decision-making, high individual self-control, high moral identity, low guilt, and low propensity for moral disengagement; (2) there is a significant and positive association between the variables of individual self-control with guilt, moral disengagement; and moral identity is shown to be positively associated with moral disengagement, and moral disengagement positively with the variable of having a previous elective position or not. - Originality: The main contribution of the research is the analysis of the theme on municipal legislators and executors, in the version of pre-candidates. - Theoretical and practical contributions: (1) low representation of women even as pre-candidates; (2) the sample considers the ‘other’ pre-willing politicians to make unethical decision-making, but not themselves; (3) sample with a high capacity for self-control, especially the part of the sample that did not have a previous elective position; (4) women have a higher degree of guilt than men, that is, they are less disposed to unethical decisions or corruption; (5) it can be said that the sample has a low propensity to deviant behaviors, that is, corruption.