Rationalization
Definition
The internal justification that allows a person to commit fraud while maintaining a self-image as an honest individual. Common forms include 'I was only borrowing it', 'I was underpaid anyway', or 'the company can afford it'.
- Model
- Third element of the Fraud Triangle
- Function
- Internal justification preserving self-image
- Common forms
- "Only borrowing it", "underpaid anyway"
- Paired with
- Pressure and opportunity
Common questions
Why does rationalization matter separately from pressure and opportunity in a fraud investigation?+
Pressure and opportunity explain why and how a person could commit fraud, but rationalization explains why an otherwise honest person is willing to cross that line. Investigators look for evidence of it, such as statements or documented grievances, to understand the offender's mindset and support interview strategy.
How might an investigator uncover evidence of rationalization during an interview?+
Interview techniques that let a suspect explain their actions in their own words often surface the justification they used, phrases minimising the harm or blaming the victim organisation, which can corroborate other financial evidence and inform how the interview is structured.
Related terms
- Control Environment
- The first and foundational component of the COSO framework. It encompasses the board's oversight, management's philosophy and operating style, organisational structure, commitment...
- Fraud Diamond
- Wolfe and Hermanson's 2004 extension of the fraud triangle that adds capability as a fourth condition. The model holds that pressure, opportunity,...
- Management Override
- The circumvention of established internal controls by members of senior management. A key fraud risk in any organisation because those who set...
- Non-Shareable Financial Problem
- Cressey's original term for the pressure element. The problem need not be objectively severe; what matters is that the perpetrator perceives it...
- Occupational Fraud
- The ACFE defines occupational fraud as the use of one's occupation for personal enrichment through the deliberate misuse or misapplication of the...