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Erik Lundberg
SVEN
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Peer-reviewed article

The longitudinal link between institutional and community trust in a local context – findings from a Swedish panel study

2024Abdelzadeh, A., & Lundberg, E.Local Government Studies

What is this study about?

The study examines how people's trust in local public institutions is related to their trust in other people in the local community. Using Swedish panel data, in which the same individuals are followed over time, it analyses whether institutional trust can contribute to later interpersonal trust and whether the relationship also works in the opposite direction. The study thereby tests how relationships between citizens and institutions and between people may be mutually interconnected.

What did we find?

How is trust in local institutions related to trust in other people in the local community? The study shows that the two forms of trust develop in close interplay over time: institutional trust is linked to later trust in people in the local community, and vice versa. The findings thus point to the relationship between citizens and institutions not being fully separable from the relationships between people.

Why does it matter?

Trust is often regarded as an important resource for both well-functioning local communities and democratic institutions. The study shows that trust in institutions and trust between people should be understood as parts of a coherent social and institutional context. This means that how local institutions function and are perceived can matter beyond the relationship with the institution itself, while trust between people can also be linked to their trust in the public sector. It provides a broader understanding of how trust can be maintained and developed locally.

Citation

Abdelzadeh, A., & Lundberg, E. (2024) The longitudinal link between institutional and community trust in a local context – findings from a Swedish panel study. Local Government Studies 1–21

Research area

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