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Changes in Income Predict Change in Social Trust: A Longitudinal Analysis
Author(s) -
Brandt Mark J.,
Wetherell Geoffrey,
Henry P. J.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
political psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.419
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1467-9221
pISSN - 0162-895X
DOI - 10.1111/pops.12228
Subject(s) - socioeconomic status , social trust , psychology , social psychology , longitudinal study , social status , demographic economics , sociology , demography , economics , statistics , social capital , social science , mathematics , population
Social trust is a psychological variable important to politics, the community, and health. Theorists have predicted that socioeconomic status determines social trust, but also that social trust determines socioeconomic status. The current study tested the viability of both causal directions using longitudinal data from representative samples of the U nited S tates and the U nited K ingdom. Results demonstrated that a model where increases in socioeconomic status (measured by income) predict increases in social trust is more viable than a model where increases in social trust predict increases in socioeconomic status.