New study
Scandinavians trust each other the most
According to social scientists, an atmosphere of trust amongst citizens is considered an important resource for a functional and lively society. A research team examined how pronounced strong this general trust is in 51 countries. People living in Sweden, Switzerland and Norway trust their fellow citizens the most, the lowest levels of general trust are in Turkey, Rwanda and Trinidad and Tobago. Co-authors of the study are Kenneth Newton, guest scholar at the WZB, and former WZB researcher Jan Delhey. Their study has been published in the American Sociological Review.
The scientists first present a measuring method for general trust that enables a real comparison between individual states. As a rule of thumb: The poorer the country the weaker is the trust amongst its people. The most pronounced form of trust is in wealthy western states, even more so when Protestant.
Social scientists have examined the extent and manifestation of trust for a long time. Researchers are particularly interested in general trust – that is when people trust other people even when they do not know them personally. This form of trust is considered more valuable than the trust in known members of society, like relatives, friends or neighbors.