The Role of School in Fostering Children's Generalized Trust: A Multilevel Analysis of Japanese Elementary and Junior High School Data

The importance of generalized trust has been noted in various fields. How, then, is generalized trust generated? When considering this question, the role of school can be seen as crucial. This is because school is the place where children encounter people outside their family: friends, teachers, and community members. A crucial role of schools is to foster generalized trust in children through their interactions with trustworthy individuals. Specifically, it is vital for educational institutions to cultivate in students the understanding that while society comprises both trustworthy and untrustworthy individuals, the majority of people are kind, helpful, and deserving of trust. However, few studies have analyzed generalized trust among school-aged children. Therefore, this study uses data from a "Questionnaire Survey on Social Capital of Elementary and Junior High School Students" conducted in a region of Japan to clarify how children's generalized trust is nurtured. Specifically, I examine the role of school education by analyzing the relationship between children's personal networks and generalized trust. To identify the determinants of generalized trust, I employ a multilevel modeling approach. In this analysis, generalized trust among elementary and junior high school students is the dependent variable, while various aspects of students' personal networks—including relationship with family, friends, teachers, and community members—are independent variables. This study indicates that personal networks significantly contribute to the development of generalized trust, with relationships involving community members and teachers emerging as particularly influential factors.