Political Psychologists suggest the following practices to protect against political insider corruption:
1. Trust your eyes and compare notes with others.
2. Wise up to weasel words, aka rationalization.
3. Review and report—audit local government meetings.
4.Who do you serve? Is power for self-enrichment or a way to serve others?
5. “Not for sale.” Know the character traits of people who are incorruptible.
6. Beat the bully. Dupuy and Neset find that several studies support Tepper’s (2010) recommendation that the abuse of power is curtailed when people are provided with skills to confront and report corrupt officials.
How to elect people with integrity: 1. People who think of their integrity as non-negotiable have the strength and the willingness to act in ways that align with their moral standards.
2. People whose moral judgment is independent of external influence are more willing to resist pressure from authorities and confront wrongdoing.
3. People who feel in control of their lives and have a strong sense of moral responsibility are less likely to comply with unethical requests.
Four ways to elect honest representatives:
1.Trust your eyes and compare notes with others.
2. Wise up to weasel words, aka rationalization.
3. Show up–review and report.
4. Who do you serve?
I have loved reading Psychology Today ever since my first psychology class as a high school junior. So I consider it a huge honor to have been invited to blog on their site. They have asked me to cover “Where Women Govern” as it relates to corruption and happiness. Here’s blog number two!
