Trust in the time of COVID-19
These are tumultuous times.
So, perhaps it’s no surprise people around the world aren’t feeling too trusting these days. A new online survey for Ipsos’ Global Advisor found, on average, only 30% of adults across 30 countries say most people can be trusted. The online survey of 22,534 adults under the age of 75 was fielded between February 18 and March 4 just as Year 2 of the pandemic was winding down and the Ukraine conflict was ramping up.
Key numbers
- Globally, the percentage of those who say most people can be trusted is 11 points higher (at 38%) among self-identified senior executives, decision-makers, or leaders in their company, compared to others (at 27%).
- People with a high level of education were also more trusting of others at 35%, on average across the 30 countries, compared to 26% of those with a low level of education and 28% with a medium level of education.
- Less than 50% of people in 28 of the 30 countries surveyed say that most people can trusted, running the gamut from a low of 11% in Brazil* to a high of 56% in both China* and India*.
Somebody to lean on
China and India tied for first place, with just over half (56%) of people in both countries saying that most people can be trusted, followed by the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia (tied at 48%) and Sweden at 47%.
Parijat Chakraborty, Head of Public Affairs in India for Ipsos, says traditionally Indians tend to prize the “we” over the “I.” This emphasis on the group over the individual means if someone needs help in India they’ll tap family and friends, and even colleagues and neighbours, says Chakraborty. “There’s this outlook of trusting people, helping each other.”
Meanwhile, Helen Lee, Managing Director for Public Affairs in China, says people there tend to “have gratitude and trust in the country, the government, the company and the people around them.”
Deep divides
On the other side of the world in Brazil, it’s a very different story. The country came in dead last, with only slightly more than one in 10 (11%) saying that most people can be trusted, followed closely by Malaysia at 13% and Turkey at 14%.
Helio Gastaldi, Director of Public Affairs for Ipsos in Brazil, says trust has been on the downslide in the South American nation for years. He points to the 2018 national election, which the far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro ultimately won, as a turning point that led to deep divisions.
“All this has worsened with the pandemic and, unfortunately, today negative feelings dominate in our country — including a feeling of disunity and a lack of trust in people, as well as in politicians and in the country.”
The bottom line
Almost seven months into the pandemic, Gastaldi notes fall 2020 Ipsos research found social cohesion in Brazil was at -42%, while only six (China, Saudi Arabia, Australia, India, Malaysia and Sweden) of 27 countries had net positive social cohesion numbers.
As the world starts to grapple with Year 3 of the pandemic, the lack of interpersonal trust revealed in Ipsos’ new survey indicates the social fabric continues to be frayed in Brazil and beyond.
*The samples in Brazil, Chile, China (mainland), Colombia, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Turkey are more urban, more educated and/or more affluent than the general population.
