Boteva, Tsveta (2025) A Goal-Framing approach to corruption in Bulgaria: examining differences before and after accession into the European Union. Research Master thesis, Research Master.
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Abstract
Corruption has been a major issue in numerous post-communist countries that is causing economic issues, social inequalities, and institutional illegitimacy. This thesis investigates the psychological mechanisms sustaining corruption in Bulgaria before and after it joined the European Union in 2007. Whereas the related increase in transparency and enforcement of the rule of law was expected to curb corruption, the latest indicators still show high levels of corruption and low levels of institutional trust. I use Goal-Framing Theory to explore the behavioural micro foundations linking institutional trust and motivation in a system transitioned into capitalism. I argue that norm following is contingent on the degree of institutional trust. However, since capitalism fosters a stronger gain and hedonic orientation, I expect the effect of institutional trust on normative rule following to decline after Bulgaria joined the EU. A mixed-methods design is used combining interviews with policy experts with a repeated cross-sectional analysis of 9 waves of European Social Survey (ESS) data on Bulgaria, spanning the years 2006 to 2023. As hypothesized, I find that the negative effect of hedonic motivations on norm compliance became stronger after the transition. Unlike predicted, the effect of a strong gain motivation strengthened rather than weakened. Implications for theory and transition economies are discussed.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Research Master) |
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| Supervisor name: | Wittek, R.P.M. |
| Degree programme: | Research Master |
| Differentiation route: | Understanding Societal Change [Research Master] |
| Date Deposited: | 16 Jul 2025 14:21 |
| Last Modified: | 16 Jul 2025 14:21 |
| URI: | http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/5585 |
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