Public Opinion Quarterly Advance Access originally published online on August 16, 2009
Public Opinion Quarterly 2009 73(3):439-461; doi:10.1093/poq/nfp042
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Effects of Internet Commerce on Social Trust
Address correspondence to Diana C. Mutz; e-mail: Mutz{at}sas.upenn.edu.
As of the early 21st century, one of the most popular uses of the internet is for online shopping. In this study I examine how online purchasing affects levels of generalized social trust, a quality widely believed to be central to the health and well-being of contemporary societies. Drawing on two original studies, including an experiment embedded in a representative national survey, and a hybrid laboratory/field experiment, I find consistent evidence that positive e-commerce experiences promote generalized social trust. I discuss the implications of these findings for the role of business in helping to maintain attitudes supportive of democracy.
DIANA C. MUTZ is the Samuel A. Stouffer Professor of Political Science and Communication at the University of Pennsylvania, 3620 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. The author would like to thank the online car dealer whose timely delivery of a vehicle purchased sight unseen led the author to higher levels of social trust, and to bigger and better online acquisitions. The author would also like to thank Shiloh Krieger and Danielle Dougherty for assisting in the collection of data for Study 2, and the Institute for the Study of Citizens and Politics for funding portions of this study.