Trust in political institutions: Differences and interdependency in the opinions of the Brazilian youth and population

Abstract

This article contributes to the study of trust in institutions in Brazil by analyzing data from the 2014 and 2017 AmericasBarometer surveys, as well as from an original survey of 487 young adults conducted in 2016. The objectives of the article are: 1) to identify variation in the level of confidence in different institutions and across both the general population and young adults specifically; 2) to map the extent to which opinions of the different institutions relate to one another; 3) to assess the relationship between experiences of political participation, media consumption, and trust in institutions. The results indicate that political institutions such as parties and elections are viewed negatively, especially when compared to the Armed Forces. Factor analysis indicates that opinions about institutions are organized in two dimensions, one that captures the propensity to have more trust in institutions and another that discriminates favorable views of the military institutions. Regression analysis indicates that individuals who attended political meetings and used the Internet less often have a higher level of trust in institutions.