نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی
نویسنده
گروه مطالعات اجتماعی، پژوهشگاه مطالعات فرهنگی، اجتماعی و تمدنی، تهران، ایران
چکیده
کلیدواژهها
عنوان مقاله [English]
نویسنده [English]
This study investigates levels of social trust among university students and graduates in Iran, comparing them with other societal groups. While international research often links higher education with increased social trust, findings from Iran challenge this trend, revealing a decline in trust among the educated population. This divergence suggests that broader contextual factors, particularly those related to institutional function, may significantly influence social attitudes among those with higher education.
The research is based on secondary analysis of data from the 2023 National Survey of Iranian Values and Attitudes. The study employs statistical methods, including regression analysis, to explore how perceptions of institutional effectiveness and procedural justice correlate with trust levels among different educational cohorts.
Results indicate that both university students and graduates report significantly lower levels of social trust compared to individuals without higher education. A key explanatory factor is the negative perception of core institutions such as the judiciary, police, and government bodies. Regression models show that institutional effectiveness and procedural justice together explain approximately 48% of the variation in social trust among students and 47.5% among graduates. These findings underscore the heightened sensitivity of educated individuals to systemic inefficiencies and perceived injustices.
The research highlights that higher education does not universally enhance social trust, especially in contexts where institutional shortcomings are evident. In Iran, well-educated individuals appear more attuned to the flaws within state institutions, leading to increased scepticism rather than civic cohesion. The study concludes that enhancing transparency, accountability, and fairness within governmental structures is essential for rebuilding public trust. These insights challenge the conventional assumption that education alone fosters social capital and emphasize the central role of institutional quality in shaping collective attitudes.
کلیدواژهها [English]