Social trust in diverse environments: A rural Vs. urban comparison in early childhood

This thesis examines how environmental factors—specifically geographic location, interaction with diversity, and parental perspectives—impact the development of social trust during early childhood. From the data of 209 Turkish children aged 3 to 4.5 years and their caregivers, the study compares rural and urban populations to examine variations in trust toward in-group (Turkish) and out-group (Bhutanese and Zimbabwean) peers. By using an experimental task involving unfamiliar faces in a child-friendly trust scale, the social trust of children was measured. Results showed an overall preference for in-group individuals, with urban children showing significantly lower trust toward Zimbabwean targets. In contrast to what was anticipated, increased exposure to diversity—particularly among close social groups—did not enhance trust in members from different groups; in fact, in certain instances, it was associated with a decrease in trust. Parents tended to have greater trust in people they knew compared to strangers, regardless of their location. These results call into question the idea that exposure to diversity consistently leads to increased social openness, indicating that the development of children's trust is influenced by a complex mix of contextual, cultural, and relational dynamics.