Measuring trust: an experiment in Brazil

Attitudinal measures of trust, such as those employed by the World Values Survey (WVS) or the General Social Survey (GSS), have been shown to be correlated with important country-level variables reflecting economic and institutional development. However, Glaeser, Laibson, Scheinkman and Soutter (Qu...

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Main Authors: Sergio G. Lazzarini, Regina Madalozzo, Rinaldo Artes, José de Oliveira Siqueira
Format: Article
Language:Portuguese
Published: Universidade de São Paulo 2005-04-01
Series:Economia Aplicada
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.revistas.usp.br/ecoa/article/view/221397
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author Sergio G. Lazzarini
Regina Madalozzo
Rinaldo Artes
José de Oliveira Siqueira
author_facet Sergio G. Lazzarini
Regina Madalozzo
Rinaldo Artes
José de Oliveira Siqueira
author_sort Sergio G. Lazzarini
collection DOAJ
description Attitudinal measures of trust, such as those employed by the World Values Survey (WVS) or the General Social Survey (GSS), have been shown to be correlated with important country-level variables reflecting economic and institutional development. However, Glaeser, Laibson, Scheinkman and Soutter (Quarterly Journal of Economics, 2000) have found that those attitudinal measures poorly correlate with behavioral measures of trust obtained from an experimental "trust game" involving monetary incentives. We replicate Glaeser's et al. study using Brazilian subjects and performing the experiment under two conditions: when individuals meet face-to-face prior to their interaction, and when they cannot do so. We find that the effect of attitudinal measures of trust (such as the WVS/GSS scale) on subjects' trusting behavior in experimental transactions appears to be significantly larger when they cannot meet face-to-face (a condition that was not employed in Glaeser's et al. study). Echoing Glaeser's et al. results, we also find that attitudinal measures of trust are significantly correlated with rustworthy behavior: individuals who affirm to be more trusting are apparently less inclined to act opportunistically. Thus, evaluating attitudinal measures of trust within appropriate experimental conditions, we find that measures such as the WVS/GSS scale appear to have a role in explaining both trusting and trustworthy behavior.
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spelling doaj.art-68b056c6c3024fd99d5dff8fd470d9d02024-01-18T04:10:13ZporUniversidade de São PauloEconomia Aplicada1413-80501980-53302005-04-0192Measuring trust: an experiment in BrazilSergio G. Lazzarini0Regina Madalozzo1Rinaldo Artes2José de Oliveira Siqueira3Instituto Brasileiro de Mercado de CapitaisInstituto Brasileiro de Mercado de CapitaisInstituto Brasileiro de Mercado de CapitaisUniversidade de São Paulo. Faculdade de Economia, Administração e Contabilidade Attitudinal measures of trust, such as those employed by the World Values Survey (WVS) or the General Social Survey (GSS), have been shown to be correlated with important country-level variables reflecting economic and institutional development. However, Glaeser, Laibson, Scheinkman and Soutter (Quarterly Journal of Economics, 2000) have found that those attitudinal measures poorly correlate with behavioral measures of trust obtained from an experimental "trust game" involving monetary incentives. We replicate Glaeser's et al. study using Brazilian subjects and performing the experiment under two conditions: when individuals meet face-to-face prior to their interaction, and when they cannot do so. We find that the effect of attitudinal measures of trust (such as the WVS/GSS scale) on subjects' trusting behavior in experimental transactions appears to be significantly larger when they cannot meet face-to-face (a condition that was not employed in Glaeser's et al. study). Echoing Glaeser's et al. results, we also find that attitudinal measures of trust are significantly correlated with rustworthy behavior: individuals who affirm to be more trusting are apparently less inclined to act opportunistically. Thus, evaluating attitudinal measures of trust within appropriate experimental conditions, we find that measures such as the WVS/GSS scale appear to have a role in explaining both trusting and trustworthy behavior. https://www.revistas.usp.br/ecoa/article/view/221397trustsocial capitalexperimental economics
spellingShingle Sergio G. Lazzarini
Regina Madalozzo
Rinaldo Artes
José de Oliveira Siqueira
Measuring trust: an experiment in Brazil
Economia Aplicada
trust
social capital
experimental economics
title Measuring trust: an experiment in Brazil
title_full Measuring trust: an experiment in Brazil
title_fullStr Measuring trust: an experiment in Brazil
title_full_unstemmed Measuring trust: an experiment in Brazil
title_short Measuring trust: an experiment in Brazil
title_sort measuring trust an experiment in brazil
topic trust
social capital
experimental economics
url https://www.revistas.usp.br/ecoa/article/view/221397
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AT reginamadalozzo measuringtrustanexperimentinbrazil
AT rinaldoartes measuringtrustanexperimentinbrazil
AT josedeoliveirasiqueira measuringtrustanexperimentinbrazil