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National image and trustworthiness – The role of cultural values in the creation of trust between European nations

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Abstract

European integration has led to an increase in international contact and the need for cooperation among European countries. Willingness to cooperate with other nations is dependent on mutual perceptions and evaluations, which find their expression in national images. One important dimension of these evaluations is trust. This article explores why nations trust one another. The article analyses whether a nation's cultural values influence its assumed trustworthiness when economic performance is controlled. It is hypothesized that nations that have achieved favourable international goals, for example embracing certain cultural values, earn appreciation and admiration. Thus, cultural success lends a special aura that makes these nations seem trustworthy. The social dimensions recorded in treaties provide a record of the specific cultural ideals embraced in Europe. Using data from the European Election Study, the European Values Survey and Eurostat, macro-level empirical analyses are conducted to test the hypothesis. Results indicate that the admiration mechanism has a clear effect on international trust. Thus, the author concludes that the cultural features of nations are important for their image and ascribed trustworthiness.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Politikwissenschaft, Philipps Universität Marburg, Wilhelm-Röpke-Straße 6 G, Marburg, Germany

    Tuuli-Marja Kleiner

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  1. Tuuli-Marja Kleiner
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Correspondence to Tuuli-Marja Kleiner.

APPENDIX

APPENDIX

Items measuring cultural value orientations:

Attitudes towards authority reflecting autonomy

I’m going to describe various types of political systems and ask what you think about each as a way of governing this country. For each one, would you say it is a very good, fairly good, fairly bad or very bad way of governing this country?

   • Having a strong leader who does not have to bother with parliament and elections

   • Having experts, not government, make decisions according to what they think is best for the country

   • Having the army rule the country

      1=very good; 4=very bad.

Support for democracy

I’m going to read off some things that people sometimes say about a democratic political system. Could you please tell me if you agree strongly, agree, disagree or disagree strongly, after I read each of them?

   • Democracy may have some problems but it's better than any other form of government

      1=disagree strongly; 4=agree strongly.

I’m going to describe various types of political systems and ask what you think about each as a way of governing this country. For each one, would you say it is a very good, fairly good, fairly bad or very bad way of governing this country?’

   • Having a democratic political system

      1=very bad; 4=very good’.

Notions of role models and gender equality

People talk about the changing roles of men and women today. For each of the following statements I read out, can you tell me how much you agree with each. Please use the responses on this card:

   • A pre-school child is likely to suffer if his or her mother works

   • A job is alright but what most women really want is a home and children

   • Being a housewife is just as fulfilling as working for pay

      1=strongly agree; 4=strongly disagree

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?

   • When jobs are scarce, men have more right to a job than women

      1=agree; 3=disagree.

Laicism

How much do you agree or disagree with the following:

   • It would be better for [COUNTRY] if more people with strong religious beliefs held public office

   • Politicians who do not believe in God are unfit for public office

      1=agree strongly; 4=disagree strongly

(Post)materialism

Here is a list of things which some people think make for a successful marriage. Please tell me, for each one, whether you think it is very important, rather important or not very important for a successful marriage …

   • An adequate income

   • Good housing

      1=very; 3=not.

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Kleiner, TM. National image and trustworthiness – The role of cultural values in the creation of trust between European nations. Place Brand Public Dipl 8, 223–234 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1057/pb.2012.15

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