Bonding social capital and political trust: The mediating role of trust in public figures in Taiwan

ABSTRACT

Drawing on the conceptual distinction between two types of bridging social capital, bonding social capital (BSC) is divided into two subtypes based on power difference. This study not only assesses whether horizontal and vertical forms of BSC relate to political trust, but also analyzes how they influence political trust through trust in public figures after considering other theoretically crucial factors. Structural equation modeling is used to analyze data from a representative sample in Taiwan. The results reveal that horizontal BSC is negatively related to political trust, whereas citizens who have relatives and friends in political power have a high level of political trust. Trust in public figures mediates the association between two kinds of BSC and political confidence. This study provides evidence confirming political confidence is shaped by how respondents perceive their government’s sense of responsibility and responsiveness, as well as affected by vertical bonding ties in a given context.

KEYWORDS:

• Bonding social capital
• Political trust
• Trust in public figures
• Taiwan

Declarations of interest

None.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.