What explains trust in institutions? Multi-disciplinary evidence from an international survey

Abstract In many countries, trust in institutions has eroded, undermining civic engagement, social cohesion, and political stability. This study analyzes the determinants of trust in government, civil servants, the judicial system, and the police, drawing on representative samples from six OECD countries (Germany, Italy, Japan, Slovenia, the United Kingdom, and the United States) between 2017 and early 2020. It employs survey data, experimental methods, and psychometric techniques to measure various dimensions of trust. The findings indicate that self-reported trust in institutions hinges primarily on perceived governance quality, encompassing both competence (responsiveness, effectiveness, and reliability) and integrity (values and ethical conduct). Specifically, perceived government reliability in the event of a natural disaster and the integrity of high-level officials emerge as the strongest predictors of self-reported trust in government, followed by satisfaction with security and education services. Although partisan affiliation also exerts some influence, its effect is comparatively modest. Overall, these results suggest that trust in institutions is amenable to policy interventions that enhance governance performance, thereby fostering higher levels of public trust through repeated, positive interactions with well-functioning public services.