Political scandal is the exposure of unethical behavior in the political arena, which can have profound consequences for society. Often, political scandals are the result of investigations conducted by journalists, who rely on documents, interviews, and data analysis to uncover and expose wrongdoing. While investigating such cases, journalists not only hold politicians accountable for their actions but also inform the public of these wrongdoings. This way, they contribute to transparency in government and promote the elaboration of new norms for responsible conduct.
There are many different theories on how and why political scandals occur, but some of the most important findings from international research include two general lessons: First, norm transgressions – real or conjectured – must be publicly reported to provoke criticism and other reactions. And second, the way in which those violations are framed in news reports has substantial influence on the related public perceptions.
Several studies show that political scandals can negatively affect citizens’ trust in the institutions of the state (e.g., Lee, 2018). In addition, some studies indicate negative spillover effects when citizens evaluate other politicians based on the behaviors of scandalous politicians. However, these effects are not universal and may only exist under specific conditions (e.g., Bowler & Karp, 2004; Maier, 2011).
Moreover, some researchers have questioned the functional theory of scandal, which suggests that it makes sense to turn political violations into scandals because they prevent further corruption in less democratic states where there are no other means of reforming the political system. Nonetheless, scandals have a significant impact on politics and society and are a necessary part of democracy. Therefore, scholars from various disciplines – such as political science and psychology – should study the causes and effects of political scandal in an interdisciplinary fashion, taking central aspects of each field into account.