Newswise — New research in Social Psychological and Personality Science reveals that individuals who hold more positive views of their nation's institutions tend to display a preference for their fellow citizens. This finding suggests that strong support for national institutions may present a challenge in fostering trust beyond borders.
Interestingly, the study also confirms previous research showing that individuals who strongly identify with their own nation are more likely to show favoritism towards their fellow citizens. However, what surprised the researchers was the unexpected role of trust in national institutions in influencing this behavior.
Dr. Giuliana Spadaro from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, one of the authors of the study, explains, "We noticed a greater inclination to trust fellow citizens (rather than foreigners) among participants who held more positive perceptions of institutions, perceiving them as trustworthy, benevolent, and capable of providing security."
To investigate these patterns further, the researchers engaged more than 3,200 participants from 17 different societies in a game designed to measure the level of trust they placed in fellow citizens, non-nationals, and unidentified strangers. The results shed light on the complex interplay between national identity, institutional perceptions, and trust behaviors, highlighting the potential impact on cross-border relationships.
Recent studies have demonstrated that institutions that offer greater support and security can promote safe interactions with individuals outside one's own social group. Based on these insights, Dr. Spadaro and her team hypothesized that individuals with more favorable views of their nation's institutions might exhibit less favoritism towards their fellow citizens. However, their surprising discovery was that those who had more trust in their country's institutions tended to show more favoritism towards their compatriots.
Dr. Spadaro emphasized the significance of trust among strangers in well-functioning societies. Understanding the potential factors linked to discrimination, such as national identification and institutional beliefs, can be insightful for citizens.
It is crucial to note that these findings do not establish a cause-and-effect relationship between positive institutional opinions and in-group favoritism. Rather, they indicate an association between the two, prompting further exploration in this area.
Moving forward, Dr. Spadaro proposes that researchers investigate how people's attitudes towards institutions within their local communities influence favoritism. She suggests paying greater attention to perceptions of local institutions compared to national ones, as citizens interact more directly with local representatives (e.g., police, municipalities, bureaucrats) and may actively rely on these perceptions. This avenue of investigation could provide valuable insights into the dynamics of favoritism and institutional trust at a more localized level.
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