thick-and-thin-trust
'Thick trust' refers to trust in close, personal relationships, while 'thin trust' extends trust to strangers based on shared social norms and networks.
2 chapters across 1 book
Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community (2000)Robert D. Putnam
Chapter 8 explores the foundational role of generalized reciprocity, honesty, and social trust in building social capital and efficient communities. It argues that trust, both 'thick' (personal) and 'thin' (generalized), reduces transaction costs and fosters civic engagement, while declining trust and perceptions of honesty correlate with social disengagement and societal inefficiencies. The chapter also distinguishes social trust from political trust and highlights the complexity of interpreting survey data on trust in contemporary America.
Chapter 8 of Putnam's 'Bowling Alone' explores the foundational role of reciprocity, honesty, and trust in sustaining social capital and community life. It distinguishes between types of trust, such as generalized (thin) trust and particularized (thick) trust, and presents empirical evidence linking social trust to various social outcomes, including civic engagement, public health, and economic performance. The chapter also documents a decline in generalized social trust in the United States over recent decades, raising concerns about its implications for democracy and social cohesion.