Are Surveys on Trust Trustworthy?

Alan S. Miller · Tomoko Mitamura

278 citations0/0 files storedSocial Psychology Quarterly

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Survey Methodology and Nonresponse Psychometric Methodologies and Testing Social Capital and Networks

Abstract

In this paper we explore the validity of a survey question commonly used for measuring generalized trust. Trust has become a key variable in a variety of fields, including sociology, social psychology, political science, and economics; therefore the accuracy with which it is measured has profound implications for many studies. We suggest that ambiguous wording on this survey item has led to misinterpretations concerning actual trust levels, especially in a cross-cultural context. To test this claim, we conduct an extensive survey of students at UCLA and at Hokkaido University, Japan. Results strongly suggest that the survey question measures differences in caution levels rather than in trust. Implications of this research are discussed.

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References

1989Crime, Shame and Reintegration 2021Methods and Data Analysis for Cross-Cultural Research 1994Trust and commitment in the United States and Japan 1999Is Social Capital Declining in the United States? A Multiple Indicator Assessment 1997Gender differences in risk behaviour in financial decision-making: An experimental analysis 1994The Emergence of Exchange Structures: An Experimental Study of Uncertainty, Commitment, and Trust 2002Gender and Religiousness: Can Socialization Explanations Be Saved?1956Misanthropy and Political Ideology

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