Trust and preferences: evidence from survey data

Giuseppe Albanese, Guido de Blasio and Paolo Sestito

No 911, Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) from Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area

Abstract: This paper considers the role of preferences in explaining trust. By using the Bank of Italyï¿½s Survey on Household Income and Wealth (SHIW), the paper shows that time preferences and risk preferences are key covariates of self-reported trust. They both predict negatively a measure of generalized trust; however, risk aversion is positively correlated with an index of particularized trusting behaviour (which refers to family and friends). Moreover, the results are robust to using a different data source to gauge the role of social preferences and personality traits. The study highlights that neglecting preferences when analysing the role of trust in explaining socio-economic outcomes might pose serious challenges in terms of omitted variables.

Keywords: trust; preferences; survey data (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D1 D8 Z1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013-04
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cbe, nep-evo, nep-soc and nep-upt
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bdi:wptemi:td_911_13

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