SOCIAL TRUST, INSTITUTIONAL CONFIDENCE, AND CIVIC PARTICIPATION IN CONTEMPORARY DEMOCRATIC SOCIETIES

Samadjon Mamurov

doi:10.69980/3xngnz04

Authors

Samadjon Mamurov Department of Islamic Economics and Finance, Ziyarah Tourism, Position: PhD, dotcent, University: International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.69980/3xngnz04

Keywords:

Social Trust, academic performance, Civic Participation, Democratic Societies, Political Engagement

Abstract

This study investigated the relationships among social trust, institutional confidence, and civic participation in contemporary democratic societies using a quantitative framework. A dataset comprising 1,500 respondents across 12 countries was analyzed to examine patterns of interpersonal trust, institutional evaluations, and democratic engagement. Descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, Pearson correlations, cross-country comparisons, and hierarchical regression models were employed. The findings revealed significant positive associations between civic participation and political interest (r = 0.336), social trust (r = 0.281), and institutional confidence (r = 0.232). Political interest emerged as the strongest adjusted predictor of civic participation (β = 0.326), followed by social trust (β = 0.202) and institutional confidence (β = 0.186). The regression model explained 26.3% of participation variance. Cross-country differences were significant for social trust and civic participation but not institutional confidence. Voting represented the most prevalent civic activity, whereas protest participation was comparatively limited. The interaction between social trust and institutional confidence was statistically nonsignificant, suggesting primarily additive associations. These findings demonstrate the analytical utility of integrating interpersonal, institutional, and political dimensions of democratic engagement. However, observations limit empirical generalizability, necessitating validation through representative surveys and longitudinal research across diverse democratic contexts.

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