Religiosity and Social Trust: What Happens When Diversity Increases?

ABSTRACT While the relationship between religiosity and social trust has been widely addressed, empirical results still show divergent conclusions. To enhance our understanding of this relationship, the article examines whether the religious context moderates this dynamic at the individual level within Latin America, characterized by a common religious matrix recently challenged by a substantial increase in religious diversity. Data from 18 countries between 2004 and 2018 are analyzed in multilevel models. The results show that religiosity significantly generates social trust: those who identify with some religion (mainly Catholics) and those who participate in religious organizations trust more. When including interactions between levels, a negative moderation is observed at the individual level: The more diverse the religious context, the less intense the positive effect of individual religiosity on trust. These findings highlight the nuanced role of religiosity in shaping trust within diverse social landscapes, emphasizing its importance as a socially situated factor.