Group ideology in action: anticipatory dissonance reduction in the case of social representations of corruption and corruption related social practices
Dorin Nastas, Mihai Curelaru, Octavian Onici
Abstract: In a quasi-experimental study some preliminary hypotheses concerning the process of anticipatory dissonance reduction operating at the level of social representation were addressed. It was supposed that anticipation of being involved in diverse social practices that could be labeled as corruption practices will cause the dilution of the way subjects conceive corruption and also will promote tolerance toward corruption. Also it was expected that anticipatory dissonance reduction will be more evident as the time passes and persons are more familiar with their future professional groups ideology. Results have offered partial support for the advanced hypotheses, but also revealed additional factors that could trigger and sustain long-term dissonance reduction processes with respect to corruption and corruption practices.
Rezumat: Prin intermediul unui studiu cvasiexperimental s-a încercat verificarea existenţei unui proces de reducere anticipativã a disonanţei la nivelul conţinutului reprezentãrii sociale a corupţiei. S-a pornit de la ipoteza generalã conform cãreia anticiparea implicãrii în diverse practici sociale asociate corupţiei va determina o diluare a conceptualizãrii acesteia şi, în acelaşi timp, o atitudine mai tolerantã faţă de corupţie. De asemenea, s-a considerat cã efectul reducerii anticipative a disonanţei va fi mai pronunţat pe mãsurã ce indivizii sunt mai puternic socializaţi şi influenţaţi de ideologia grupului socioprofesional. Rezultatele au oferit un suport parţial pentru ipotezele avansate, sugerând în acelaşi timp existenţa unor alţi factori care influenţeazã procesul de reducere anticipativã a disonanţei la nivelul reprezentãrii sociale a corupţiei.
Résumé: On a essayé de vérifier par l’intermédiaire d’une recherche quasi-expérimentale l’existence d’un processus d’anticipation de la dissonance au niveau du contenu de la représentation sociale de la corruption. On a considéré en tant qu’hypothèse générale le fait que l’anticipation de l’implication dans de diverses pratiques sociales associées à la corruption peut déterminer une dilution conceptuelle de celle-ci de même quune attitude plus tolérante envers la corruption. On a pensé aussi que leffet de la réduction anticipative de la dissonance sera plus accentué au fur et à mesure que les individus sont soumis à un processus fort de socialisation et sont influencés par l’idéologie du groupe socioprofessionnel. Les résultats ont confirmé dune manière partielle les hypothèses avancées, en suggérant l’existence d’autres facteurs qui influencent le processus de réduction anticipative de la dissonance au niveau de la représentation sociale de la corruption.
