Corruption and the Problem of Perception

Several of the most widely cited measure of corruption are based, at least in part, upon perceptions of corruption. This has some advantages, not least because perceptions are potentially more sensitive to facts on the ground than measures such as the number of prosecutions for corruption. Nonetheless, such benefits can only be realised if perceptions are in fact responding to facts on the ground. If perceptions of corruption are instead based solely upon speculation and personal biases, they will not be able to provide a useful measure of corruption. This chapter investigates whether perceptions are able to be sufficiently responsive and nuanced in order to be helpful for the task of measuring corruption. It finds that while perceptions can be swayed by dominant narratives in public life, they are nonetheless able to make some sophisticated discriminations between different types of behaviour.