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When Confidence in Institutions Backfires: Power-Distance Orientation Moderates the Relationship Between
Silvana D'Ottone1,2, Giovanni A Travaglino2, Pascal Burgmer3
1School of Psychology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Confidence in institutions can decrease civic honesty for individuals with high power-distance orientation (PDO). This suggests that beliefs about authority, not just institutional trust, influence honesty across cultures.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Political Science
- Cross-Cultural Psychology
Background:
- Confidence in institutions is a known predictor of civic honesty.
- However, this relationship is inconsistent across different contexts and individuals.
- Individual differences in accepting hierarchical power structures may play a role.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if power-distance orientation (PDO) moderates the link between institutional confidence and civic honesty.
- To explore how beliefs about authority influence the relationship between trust and honesty.
Main Methods:
- Survey data from 2088 participants across eight countries.
- Statistical analysis to examine the moderating effect of PDO on the institutional confidence-civic honesty relationship.
Main Results:
- The positive association between institutional confidence and civic honesty was reversed for individuals with high PDO.
- High PDO individuals may view institutional trust as justifying less civic honesty.
Conclusions:
- Power-distance orientation significantly moderates the relationship between confidence in institutions and civic honesty.
- Beliefs about authority and hierarchy are crucial for understanding variations in civic honesty.
- Findings highlight the complex interplay between individual values, institutional trust, and ethical behavior.
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