The determinants of trust: findings from large, representative samples in six OECD countries

Kovacs, Roxanne, Dunaiski, Maurice, Galizzi, Matteo M. ORCID: 0000-0002-7757-5625, Grimalda, Gianluca, Hortala-Vallve, Rafael ORCID: 0000-0002-9677-497X, Murtin, Fabrice and Putterman, Louis (2024) The determinants of trust: findings from large, representative samples in six OECD countries. Economica, 91 (364). 1521 - 1552. ISSN 0013-0427

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Abstract

Trust is key for economic and social development. But why do we trust others? We study the motives behind trust in strangers using an experimental trust game played by 7236 participants, in six samples representative of the general populations of Germany, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the UK and the USA. We examine the broadest range of potential determinants of trustor sending to date, including risk tolerance, preferences for redistribution, and conformity. We find that even though self-interest, indicated by expected returns, is relevant for trustor behaviour, the most important correlate of sending is participants' altruism or fairness concerns, as measured by giving in a dictator game. We also find that in our large and representative sample, behaviour in the trust game and responses in a trust survey are significantly correlated, and that similar correlates—altruism in particular—are relevant for both.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	© 2024 The Author
Divisions:	Government Psychological and Behavioural Science
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HB Economic Theory H Social Sciences B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
JEL classification:	D - Microeconomics > D9 - Intertemporal Choice and Growth > D90 - General C - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods > C9 - Design of Experiments > C91 - Laboratory, Individual Behavior D - Microeconomics > D0 - General > D01 - Microeconomic Behavior: Underlying Principles
Date Deposited:	19 Aug 2024 16:00
Last Modified:	15 Nov 2024 09:24
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/124608

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