Psychological Well-Being Research Laboratory Head Prof. Aistė Diržytė's research findings on corruption surprised her.

She said the issue of corruption, addressed from the psychological aspect, has not been analyzed in Lithuania making it unique.

She sought to determine how many people would admit that they had come face to face with corruption. In addition, she said that researchers wanted to find out in which sector individuals confronted corruption - public or private, and would admit to doing so.

There was a hypothesis raised that individuals which do not confront corruption are more satisfied with their life in Lithuania and vice versa, those who confronted corruption more often would be less satisfied with life in Lithuania.

"The research results are rather unexpected and paradoxical," Prof. Diržytė said.

We found that individuals confronting corruption more often were more happy statistically with their job, salary and the possibility to balance job with leisure and their financial situation.

It was surprising that these individuals, coming into contact with corruption more often, were also more satisfied with their spiritual life.

So, we called the results "confronting corruption and the paradox of a satisfied life" because they contradict research of other academics.

"To be open, the data is disappointing. It shows that although individuals understand what is corruption, don't tolerate it and admit to coming face to face with it in various sectors, but that does not diminish their satisfaction with life in Lithuania," she noted.

"And there is an opposite effect that those who more often come into contact with corruption are more satisfied with their material and financial situation," she added.

There needs to be more research in this area. It could mean, she said, that many people in Lithuania not only do not believe in the moral fundamentals of a functioning state, but also themselves do not have such fundamental values.