MORAL DISENGAGEMENT IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE

This article aims to analyze, through a narrative literature review, the phenomenon of moral disengagement in the Brazilian public service, based on the theory proposed by Albert Bandura and contemporary national and international studies. The investigation focuses on understanding the cognitive and organizational mechanisms that allow public agents to adopt unethical behaviors without experiencing conflict with their internalized moral principles. The study is structured into five analytical axes: (1) theoretical foundations of moral disengagement; (2) cognitive mechanisms in the public context; (3) institutional culture and ethical permissiveness; (4) consequences for public administration; and (5) strategies for ethical reconstruction and accountability. The results reveal that moral disengagement, although individual in origin, is largely reinforced by permissive organizational environments, hierarchical cultures, and institutional silences that normalize unethical practices. As practical implications, the study highlights the importance of continuous ethical training policies, effective accountability mechanisms, and the strengthening of organizational cultures committed to public integrity. Finally, the need for future empirical studies exploring the incidence and effects of moral disengagement in specific institutional contexts is emphasized.