Ardelyanova Ya.A. [Perception of corruption by the urban population of Russia: results of a sociological study] World of Science. Series: Sociology, Philology, Cultural Studies, 2026, Vol. 17, No. 2. Available at: https: ...

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Abstract

The article presents the results of a sociological study of the attitude of the adult urban population in Russia towards corruption. In particular, the basic attitudes towards the perception of corruption were analysed, the prevalence of corrupt practices was studied, the personal experience of the respondents was examined, and their readiness for potential corrupt behaviour was assessed. The empirical basis consists of an online survey of working‑age residents in 13 large cities (n = 1,300), conducted in 2024. The theoretical framework integrates V. A. Yadov’s dispositional concept of personality and the concept of institutional gap, which makes it possible to explain the dissonance between value orientations and situational practices. The results demonstrate that, despite the formal condemnation of corruption (65.4 % of respondents), a significant share of the population (46.3 %) allows for the use of personal connections “in some cases,” and 30.8 % do not identify “blat” as corruption. The normalization of “gray” corruption was also identified: 24 % of respondents view mutual services and gifts to officials as a “personal matter,” and 41.5 % are tolerant of informal remuneration for services. This reflects the institutional gap between formal prohibitions and informal practices, where bribery becomes a tool for overcoming bureaucratic barriers. A gap has also been identified between passive (receiving) and active (giving) forms of participation, as well as a dissonance between declared norms and actual behavior. The study identified the most corruption‑prone areas. An analysis of the relationship with socio‑demographic indicators revealed the following trends: young people (aged 18–23) are more often neutral towards corruption, while the older generation is more categorical in its condemnation; higher education strengthens the identification of “nomenklatura” as corruption. The practical conclusions of the study emphasize that the entrenched nature of corruption as an adaptation mechanism requires not only repressive measures but also the transformation of social norms, and an effective anti‑corruption policy is impossible without overcoming double standards in the public consciousness.