Government corruption perception, political trust and “hedonic balance” in Argentina and Spain: A transcultural study

PRADO GASCO, V. J.; QUINTANILLA-PARDO, I.; PETIT, L.; ETCHEZAHAR, E.; BIGLIERI, J. A.

Australia

Congreso; 27th International Congress of Applied Psychology (ICAP); 2010

Internacional Society of Applied Psychology

The aim of the study was to analyze and compare the government corruption perception and political trust in Argentina and Spain and to study the relations between government corruption perception, political trust and “hedonic balance”. The study sample comprised 100 households (51 from Argentina and 49 from Spain) and participants completed the Satisfaction with Life Scale (Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1984) and a scale created adhoc to study government corruption perception, and political trust. The current study had three hypotheses. Specifically, it was hypothesised that: 1) there is a strong and negative relation between government corruption perception and political trust; 2) there is a positive relation between hedonic balance and political trust and negative with government corruption perception; and 3) there are significant differences in the perception of the country between Argentines and Spanish people. Results showed that “hedonic balance” has a positive and significant relation with “political trust”. There was also a positive and significant relation between the economic perception of the country and “political trust”. On the other hand, there seems to be a negative correlation of the economic perception of the country and “government corruption perception”. Finally there was a strong, significant and negative relation between “government corruption perception” and “political trust”, as we had considered previously. If we consider the significant differences between the two countries, on balance, Spanish people have a more positive perception of the economic situation, a bigger trust in government, and a perception of less corruption in the government than Argentines. There are other demographic variables that may have an effect.