Age and Social Trust: Evidence from the United States

Abstract

Social trust is an essential factor in facilitating positive social and economic interactions. Social relationships and social trust are essential factors for individuals’ well-being.
The current study examined differences in generalized trust levels within age groups. For this purpose, we used 2,232 observations from the United States, using data from the World Value Survey.

The analysis shows that, in general, senior citizens, especially individuals who are over the age of 70, are more likely to trust others, compared to other age groups. Age differences in generalized trust are statistically significant, also when the analysis is with emphasizes other relevant control factors such as gender, income, education, ethnic origin, and religious domination.
Keywords: trust, age.

Keywords: Trust, Ageing