Understanding Corruption Perceptions and Their Consequences for Political Accountability: The Role of Political Bias, Corruption Exposure, and Media

Corruption remains a pervasive challenge in Latin America, manifesting not only through actual instances of malfeasance but also through widespread public perceptions of governmental misconduct. These perceptions significantly undermine democratic legitimacy and institutional trust across the region. Understanding the drivers of these perceptions is critical to uncovering the incentives citizens have—or lack—for holding their representatives accountable and engaging with democratic processes. This paper contributes to the study of corruption perceptions by proposing a theoretical framework that contrasts different dimensions shaping these views: direct experiences with corruption, indirect exposure through media and participation in public life, and political alignment. By juxtaposing these dimensions, the study aims to disentangle the relative weight of objective experiences and subjective biases in shaping corruption perceptions. The analysis explores how individuals might engage in motivated reasoning, processing information—whether gathered through media or lived experiences—in ways that align with their political preferences. To test this theoretical framework, the study focuses on Bolivia, leveraging data from the AmericasBarometer across four critical years: 2012, 2019, 2021, and 2023. Bolivia has among the highest perceptions of corruption in Latin America, has experienced significant corruption scandals, and has also witnessed the presence of a charismatic leader and several years of political stability, followed by increasing polarization and political turbulence. The analysis investigates how direct experiences with corruption, media narratives, participation in public life, and political alignment shape perceptions of corruption across different political contexts. Employing multivariate statistical techniques, the study examines the dynamic interplay of these factors in influencing public attitudes. The findings reveal that political alignment plays a pivotal role in shaping perceptions, particularly during periods of heightened presidential approval or political polarization. When the president enjoys broad support, government supporters tend to perceive lower levels of corruption, reflecting motivated reasoning that aligns evaluations of misconduct with political preferences. Conversely, detractors are more likely to amplify perceptions of corruption, irrespective of actual experiences, suggesting that opposition narratives significantly influence public attitudes. In periods of polarization, the gap between supporters and opponents widens, emphasizing the weight of political loyalties over objective realities. While direct experiences with corruption, such as requests for bribes, have a measurable impact, they are often overshadowed by the influence of media exposure and political biases. This suggests that public perceptions of corruption are shaped more by the narratives and political contexts surrounding governance than by personal interactions with corrupt practices. The implications of these findings are profound for democratic accountability. When perceptions are driven by political allegiances, mechanisms of accountability weaken, enabling tolerance of misconduct among favored leaders. Additionally, heightened perceptions of corruption undermine trust in institutions and reduce satisfaction with democracy, increasing the risk of democratic backsliding.