Två språkgrupper, olika förtroende? – En jämförande analys av det generaliserade förtroendet hos den svensk- och finskspråkiga befolkningen i Finland

Trust in others is fundamental to social cohesion. Previous research has demonstrated that ethnic minorities often exhibit lower levels of generalized trust. However, the Swedish-speaking population in Finland has emerged as an anomaly in this context, with studies indicating that this group displays higher levels of generalized trust compared to Finnish speakers. Furthermore, recent studies suggest that this difference in generalized trust has diminished over time. This article aims to investigate and compare the levels of generalized trust between Swedish-speaking and Finnish-speaking individuals in Finland, as well as to analyze how socioeconomic and contextual factors influence this trust. The study utilizes two datasets: Barometern (an online panel for Swedish speakers in Finland) and Medborgaropinion (an online panel for Finnish speakers in Finland), both of which are representative of these language groups. The results indicate that Finnish speakers, contrary to previous research, exhibit higher levels of generalized trust than Swedish speakers. Variations within both groups are explained by socioeconomic factors such as education, age, income, employment, and gender, as well as contextual factors like the linguistic composition of the municipality and the degree of urbanization. These findings may have significant implications for the understanding of social cohesion and warrant further investigation to explore their long-term impact on Finnish society.