Interpersonal Trust in Ecuador, the United States, and Zimbabwe

This study examined the patterns of variables that predict interpersonal trust in three distinct countries. Findings indicated that interpersonal trust is highest in the United States, followed by Ecuador and Zimbabwe. A similar ordering occurred with perceptions of social cohesion, whereas the reverse order occurred for perceptions of competition for scarce resources. Path analyses indicated that perceptions of social cohesion positively predicted interpersonal trust in all three cultures, whereas perceptions of competition for scarce resources negatively predicted interpersonal trust in two cultures. Path analyses also revealed that one or more of the following personal attributes predicted interpersonal trust: Independence, interdependence, uncertainty avoidance, and optimism. Results provide support for a three-stage model of the causes of interpersonal trust. In the first stage, the economic and political stability of a country influence perceptions of societal characteristics. In the second stage, these perceptions affect the personal attributes of individuals in that country. Finally, in the third stage, both the societal characteristics and the personal attributes predict interpersonal trust.