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Cited by 1,267Social Capital and NetworksCultural Differences and ValuesSocial Policy and Reform Studies

Predicting Cross-National Levels of Social Trust: Global Pattern or Nordic Exceptionalism?

Delhey, Jan, Newton, Kenneth·2005·European Sociological Review
DOI 10.1093/esr/jci022
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Abstract

This analysis of variations in the level of generalized social trust (defined here as the belief that others will not deliberately or knowingly do us harm, if they can avoid it, and will look after our interests, if this is possible) in 60 nations of the world shows that trust is an integral part of a tight syndrome of social, political and economic conditions. High trust countries are characterized by ethnic homogeneity, Protestant religious traditions, good government, wealth (gross domestic product per capita), and income equality. This combination is most marked in the high trust Nordic countries but the same general pattern is found in the remaining 55 countries, albeit in a weaker form. Rural societies have comparatively low levels of generalized trust but large-scale urban societies do not. Cause and effect relations are impossible to specify exactly but ethnic homogeneity and Protestant traditions seem to have a direct impact on trust, and an indirect one through their consequences for good government, wealth and income equality. The importance of ethnic homogeneity also suggests that the difference between particularized and generalized trust may be one of degree rather than kind.

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5 of the 67 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 5

  1. Bellah, R. , Madsen, R., Sullivan, W. M. and Tipton, S. M. (1985). Habits of the Heart. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press.
  2. Helliwell, J. F. (2003). Immigration and social capital: Issue paper. Paper given to the Conference on The Opportunity and Challenge of Diversity: A Role for Social Capital? Montreal, Canada, November 2003 (http://policyresearch.gc.ca/page.asp?pagenm=OECD_Background).
  3. Misztal, B. A. (1996). Trust in Modern Societies. Cambridge: Polity Press.
  4. Rokeach, M. , Smith, P. W. and Evans, R. I. (1960). Two kinds of prejudice or one? In Rockeach, M. (Ed.) The Open and the Closed Mind: Investigations into the Nature of Belief Systems and Personality Systems. New York: Basic Books, pp. 132–168.
  5. Weingast, B. (1998). Constructing trust: the political and economic roots of ethnic and regional violence. In Haufler, V., Soltan, K. and Uslaner, E. (Eds.) Where is the New Institutionalism Now? Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, pp. 163–200.

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Authors
Delhey, J., & Newton, K.
Affiliations
  • WZB Berlin Social Science Center (DE)
  • University of Southampton (GB)
ORCID
Delhey, Jan
Venue
European Sociological Review
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published
2005-06-06
Volume
21
Issue
4
Pages
311-327
ISSN
  • 0266-7215 (ISSN-L)
  • 1468-2672
DOI
10.1093/esr/jci022
OpenAlex
W2062841522
Semantic Scholar
a6d11bebc50daf14e2d5b9849ca4dc9cdd5d05f9
Cited by
1,267
References
67
Citations by year
2026: 41 · 2025: 58 · 2024: 60 · 2023: 66 · 2022: 90 · 2021: 102 · 2020: 99 · 2019: 63 · 2018: 74 · 2017: 69 · 2016: 67 · 2015: 72 · 2014: 80 · 2013: 71 · 2012: 55
FWCI
68.02
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • European Sociological Review (publishedVersion)
  • ePrints Soton (University of Southampton) (submittedVersion)
  • HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
Funders
Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social Capital and Networks
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Cultural Differences and Values
  • Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Social Policy and Reform Studies
Keywords
generalized trust, cross-national variation, ethnic homogeneity, Protestantism, good government, wealth, income equality, urbanization, particularized trust, Nordic exceptionalism, determinants of trust

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