USING STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING TO EXAMINE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POLITICAL CYNICISM AND RIGHT-WING AUTHORITARIANISM

The government's ability to gain and hold a high proportion of citizens' trust is essential to the functioning of an efficient and successful administration at all levels. This study aims to examine the relationship between an individual's demographic and psychosocial characteristics and their associated levels of trust in the local government. Results show that, while authoritarian attitudinal clusters are a significant predictor of government trust, they are not significant predictors of trust controlling for all related demographic controls. This finding can be explained using a Social Identity theoretical framework concerned with an individual's perceived place within their given community.