Supported by the Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR) 17539924
Abstract
We consider the role of early life experience in shaping political trust. We focus on immigrants experiencing different political institutions in their native country and country of immigration. Those exposed to higher levels of political corruption before migrating vest more trust in the political institutions of their new country. This result can be interpreted in terms of Kahneman and Tversky’s reference-point thesis, according to which corruption in an immigrant’s home country serves as a reference point for evaluating corruption in the host country. Large differences in levels of income and democracy in the immigrant’s countries of origin and destination amplify the impact of home-country corruption on evaluations of institutional performance in the destination country. Media exposure providing independent information about institutional performance in the destination country diminishes the effect.
Cem Özgüzel