Attitudes Toward Bribery in Australia : A Demographic Study

This study examined Australian attitudes toward bribe taking, using the data from the World Values survey. The sample size was more than 1300 and included a wide range of the Australian population in terms of age and other demographics. Nineteen demographic variables (gender, age, marital status, etc.) were also examined to determine whether certain responses differed by category. The findings indicate that many of the demographic variables did have a high level of significance. Women were found to be much more averse to bribery than were men. Older people were more averse to bribe taking than were younger people. The ethnic group most opposed to bribery was the English-speaking Australian group; east Asians were least opposed. The importance of religion in their lives was not an important variable, although Hindus were the most opposed to bribe taking, whereas Jews and Buddhists were least opposed. Married and widowed people were the groups most opposed to bribe taking; single people were least opposed. Retired people were most strongly opposed to bribe taking; full-time, part-time employees and the unemployed were least opposed. Those in the lower social class were significantly less opposed to bribe taking than were members of the other social classes. Middle income taxpayers were the most opposed to bribe taking; people in the low income group were least opposed. Those who were least happy were significantly less opposed to bribe taking than were those from the other happiness groups. Those who placed confidence in the police were more opposed to bribe taking than were other groups. Education, institution of employment (workers in the public vs. private sector), size of town, health, extent of confidence in the government, and position on the left-right political spectrum were not important variables