The Radius of Generalized Trust in Contemporary China

Drawing on survey data collected in 2011, this study investigates the radius of generalized trust in contemporary China. Based on the results of the ordinary least squares and finite mixture models, we find the average radius of generalized trust in the urban population is wider than that of the rural population. In addition, on average, married people show a narrower circle of generalized trust in both urban and rural areas. Minorities, better educated individuals in rural China and individuals holding a rural household registration status in urban China have a wider radius. There is a trade-off relationship between the level and the radius of generalized trust, and cross-cohort analysis provides preliminary evidence of a longitudinal extension in the radius of generalized trust over the past decades, especially after the launch of the reform and opening-up policy. Finally, identity-based social participation significantly curtails people's radius of generalized trust in urban areas.