2016 Volume 39 Issue 2 Pages 56-64
This study discusses the role of state institutions in the creation of the moral aspect of generalized trust. In previous studies, institutions were assumed to promote trust in others as a rational calculation which is based on knowledge that institutions can impose sanctions on people's untrustworthy behaviors. In contrast, some studies point out that institutions can also create trust in others as a moral value which is beyond rational calculation. Specifically, the institutional fairness of institutions for maintaining order and the social equality achieved by welfare systems are considered to be the main determinants of moralistic trust. However, these theories have not been empirically tested, since previous studies did not differentiate calculative and moralistic aspects when measuring generalized trust. Therefore, this study measures moralistic trust separately from calculative trust, and examines the effects of perceived fairness of institutions for maintaining order and social equality on moralistic trust, using internet-based survey data collected in Japan. The results of the analysis first show us that perceived fairness of institutions for maintaining order and social equality, respectively, increase moralistic trust. Second, we find that there is a negative interaction effect between these two predictors on moralistic trust, which means that positive evaluation of social equality further promotes moralistic trust when people have less confidence in the fairness of institutions for maintaining order.
