Close (Causally Connected) Cousins? Evidence on the Causal Relationship between Political Trust and Social Trust

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Close (Causally Connected) Cousins? Evidence on the Causal Relationship between Political Trust and Social Trust. / Dinesen, Peter Thisted; Sønderskov, Kim Mannemar; Sohlberg, Jacob et al.
In: Public Opinion Quarterly, Vol. 86, No. 3, 09.2022, p. 708-721.

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Vancouver

Dinesen PT, Sønderskov KM, Sohlberg J, Esaiasson P. Close (Causally Connected) Cousins? Evidence on the Causal Relationship between Political Trust and Social Trust. Public Opinion Quarterly. 2022 Sept;86(3):708-721. Epub 2022 Sept 6. doi: 10.1093/poq/nfac027

Author

Dinesen, Peter Thisted ; Sønderskov, Kim Mannemar ; Sohlberg, Jacob et al. / Close (Causally Connected) Cousins? Evidence on the Causal Relationship between Political Trust and Social Trust. In: Public Opinion Quarterly. 2022 ; Vol. 86, No. 3. pp. 708-721.

Bibtex

@article{b4fee92e6a1f41b2bdc465eaee4e6e7f,

title = "Close (Causally Connected) Cousins? Evidence on the Causal Relationship between Political Trust and Social Trust",

abstract = "Trust in one{\textquoteright}s fellow citizens and in politicians are both conducive to well-functioning government. Beyond their separate importance, it is a long-standing notion that generalized social trust and political trust are connected in a mutually reinforcing relationship that further undergirds democratic governance. While it is well established that social trust and political trust are robustly positively associated at the individual level, there is much less compelling evidence regarding the causal nature of this relationship. Previous analyses have been unable to adequately rule out confounding and correct for reverse causality. This paper tackles these challenges through data and a research design close to ideally suited for addressing the causal status of the relationship. Using a 20-wave individual-level panel survey from Sweden analyzed using a dynamic panel model, we find evidence for a relatively strong positive causal effect of political trust on social trust, but little evidence for the reverse relationship.",

author = "Dinesen, {Peter Thisted} and S{\o}nderskov, {Kim Mannemar} and Jacob Sohlberg and Peter Esaiasson",

year = "2022",

month = sep,

doi = "10.1093/poq/nfac027",

language = "English",

volume = "86",

pages = "708--721",

journal = "Public Opinion Quarterly",

issn = "0033-362X",

publisher = "Oxford University Press",

number = "3",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Close (Causally Connected) Cousins? Evidence on the Causal Relationship between Political Trust and Social Trust

AU - Dinesen, Peter Thisted

AU - Sønderskov, Kim Mannemar

AU - Sohlberg, Jacob

AU - Esaiasson, Peter

PY - 2022/9

Y1 - 2022/9

N2 - Trust in one’s fellow citizens and in politicians are both conducive to well-functioning government. Beyond their separate importance, it is a long-standing notion that generalized social trust and political trust are connected in a mutually reinforcing relationship that further undergirds democratic governance. While it is well established that social trust and political trust are robustly positively associated at the individual level, there is much less compelling evidence regarding the causal nature of this relationship. Previous analyses have been unable to adequately rule out confounding and correct for reverse causality. This paper tackles these challenges through data and a research design close to ideally suited for addressing the causal status of the relationship. Using a 20-wave individual-level panel survey from Sweden analyzed using a dynamic panel model, we find evidence for a relatively strong positive causal effect of political trust on social trust, but little evidence for the reverse relationship.

AB - Trust in one’s fellow citizens and in politicians are both conducive to well-functioning government. Beyond their separate importance, it is a long-standing notion that generalized social trust and political trust are connected in a mutually reinforcing relationship that further undergirds democratic governance. While it is well established that social trust and political trust are robustly positively associated at the individual level, there is much less compelling evidence regarding the causal nature of this relationship. Previous analyses have been unable to adequately rule out confounding and correct for reverse causality. This paper tackles these challenges through data and a research design close to ideally suited for addressing the causal status of the relationship. Using a 20-wave individual-level panel survey from Sweden analyzed using a dynamic panel model, we find evidence for a relatively strong positive causal effect of political trust on social trust, but little evidence for the reverse relationship.

UR - https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/KP6QBS

U2 - 10.1093/poq/nfac027

DO - 10.1093/poq/nfac027

M3 - Journal article

VL - 86

SP - 708

EP - 721

JO - Public Opinion Quarterly

JF - Public Opinion Quarterly

SN - 0033-362X

IS - 3

ER -

Department of Political Science