Family Facts: Social Science Research on Family, Society & Religion

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This finding looks at the relationship between religion and social trust.

Individuals who reported a high frequency of church attendance tended to have a trusting attitude toward society then those who reported a low frequency of church attendance. Trust was measured by three questions: (1) “Generally speaking, would you say that most people can be trusted, or that you can’t be too careful in dealing with people?”; (2) “Do you think most people would try to take advantage of you if they got the chance or would they try to be fair?”; and (3) “Would you say that most of the time people try to be helpful, or that they are just looking out for themselves?”

Sample or Data Description
Data came from the 2000 National Election Study (NES) using questions that asked about social trust and measures of religion. The final sample contained 1,346 respondents.

Source
"Trust in God and Trust in Man: The Ambivalent Role of Religion in Shaping Dimensions of Social Trust"
Welch, Michael R.
David Sikkink, Eric Sartain, Carolyn Bond
Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion Vol. 43, Number . , 2004. Page(s) 317-343.

FindingID: 8142