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Violent conflict and parochial trust: Lab-in-the-field and survey evidence

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  • Werner, Katharina
  • Skali, Ahmed

Abstract

How does conflict exposure affect trust? We hypothesize that direct (first-hand) experience with conflict induces parochialism: trust towards out-groups worsens, but trust towards in-groups, owing to positive experiences of kin solidarity, may improve. Indirect exposure to conflict through third-party accounts, on the other hand, reduces trust toward everyone, arguably owing to negativity bias. We find consistent support for our hypotheses in a lab-in-the-field experiment in Maluku, Indonesia, which witnessed a salient Christian-Muslim conflict during 1999–2002, as well as in three cross-country datasets exploiting temporal and spatial variation in exposure to violence. Our results help resolve a seeming contradiction in the literature and inform policies on resolving conflicts.

Suggested Citation

  • Werner, Katharina & Skali, Ahmed, 2025. "Violent conflict and parochial trust: Lab-in-the-field and survey evidence," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:deveco:v:177:y:2025:i:c:s0304387825001014
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2025.103550
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Trust; Conflict; Direct exposure; Indirect exposure; Religion; Discrimination;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • D74 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Alliances; Revolutions
    • Z12 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Religion
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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