Confiance à autrui et sociabilité : Analyse européenne comparative

Abstract

After presenting an overview of the sociological reflections on interpersonal trust and sociability, the author attempts to understand the complex logics of trust, by analysing survey data on European values. It forms a resistant, cultural trait in various European societies, connected with many other attitudes: high sociability, general optimism, politicisation and political participation, open, positive attitudes with régard to the world, tolerance with regard to others, etc. Trust is also connected with the economic and cultural capital of individuals and the level of development in each country, although it is not easy to identify the directions of their causal links.