Through the back door: Personality factors predict acceptance of illegal zou hou men among Chinese people

Abstract Zou hou men ( ZHM ) (literally, through the back door) is a prevalent practice in China that is sometimes associated with corruption. We hypothesize that acceptance of ZHM in illegal transactions negatively relates to its perceived harmfulness. Moreover, personality orientations (social dominance orientation, right-wing authoritarianism) influence harmfulness perceptions, and thus indirectly, acceptance of illegal ZHM . Chinese university students completed personality scales and questions regarding four scenarios involving ZHM . ZHM in illegal transactions were considered less acceptable than legal ones. Path analysis indicated that group-based dominance and authoritarian submission predict perceived harmfulness of illegal ZHM , which negatively predicted acceptance of illegal ZHM . Results are discussed with reference to how personality factors relate to perceptions regarding indigenous social psychological phenomena in China.