Echoes From Micro-Experience to Macro-Judgment: Linking Felt Experience with Administrative Burden and Local Government Corruption Perceptions

Could citizens’ frustrating experiences with local bureaucracy influence their perceptions of local government corruption? If so, does online news amplify these emotional responses? To answer these questions, this study analyzed nationally representative survey data from 2,032 South Korean citizens, focusing on the relationships between felt experiences of administrative burden, perceptions of local government corruption, and the echo chamber effect arising from trust in online news. Findings indicate that 1) the effort required to obtain necessary information and 2) negative emotional experiences during interactions with local bureaucracies are significantly associated with higher perceptions of corruption. Interestingly, an extension analysis reveals that the perceptions of individuals with higher general trust in government are more susceptible to media influence compared to those with lower trust levels. These results highlight the critical role of subjective experiences and online media environments in shaping citizens’ evaluations of government integrity.