PERCEIVED CORRUPTION AND POLITICAL CYNICISM AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: A STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODEL

Abstract

The relation of perceived corruption to political cynicism: a study of university students using structural equation modeling (SEM) The importance of these findings relates to rising concerns regarding political apathy and skepticism, especially among youth whose attitudes toward political systems are important for their future democratic engagement (Almond & Verba, 1963). Though some attention has been given to the effects of corruption and cynicism (see Mishler & Rose, 2001), knowledge is still lacking about how political corruption relates to cynicism within university student samples at present times. This article seeks to measure the impact of perceived corruption on political cynicism and its consequences for students’ political attitudes and behavior. A mixed-methods approach was adopted and 2,000 university students were surveyed along with 40 in-depth semi-structured interviews. The studies show that there is indeed a strong positive correlation between perceived corruption and political cynicism, with effects on the participation of youth in politics. The contribution of this study to the literature is that we contribute a more refined appreciation of how perceptions of corruption shape political trust among young people. Indeed, the findings demonstrate that by increasing political transparency and trust, cynicism may be reduced and civic engagement enhanced.

Keywords: Perceived Corruption, Political Cynicism, University Students, Structural Equation Modeling, Social Science Research, Political Attitudes, Youth Engagement