Exploring the Role of Violent Attitudes in the Association Between Trust and Violent Behaviours

Trust has been identified as a potential factor influencing violence, with lower levels of institutional and generalized trust linked to higher homicide rates and extremist attitudes. However, limited research has explored the relationship between trust and attitudes toward violence, a known risk factor for violent behaviour. Attitudes toward violence, defined as the degree of positive or negative evaluation of violence, are closely associated with and predictive of violent behaviour. Preliminary findings by Hatton & Nunes (2024) revealed a negative relationship between trust and attitudes toward violence, with attitudes mediating the link between trust and violent behaviour in a sample of community men. The current study replicated and extended these findings in a larger, mixed-gender sample, using multiple measures of trust, attitudes toward violence, and violent behaviour. This research aims to enhance understanding of trust as a potential risk factor for violence and clarify the mediating role of attitudes toward violence.