Social unfairness as a predictor of social trust in China

Exchange theory suggests that social unfairness, including conflict and inequality experienced locally at both personal and neighbourhood levels, reduces social trust generally. To test these uncharted suggestions, the present study analysed two-wave panel survey data on a representative national sample of 25,618 Chinese adults. Results demonstrated that higher social unfairness experienced personally in 2010 significantly predicted lower social trust in 2014. Neighbourhood social unfairness, which was the average of social unfairness experienced in neighbourhood residents, was also negatively predictive of social trust at neighbourhood and thus personal levels. This supports the extension of exchange theory from the personal level to the neighbourhood level. Results imply the relevance of social unfairness at both personal and neighbourhood levels to social trust in China. They also imply the significance of personal and collective interests in exchange theory.