Geographical dimensions and correlates of trust

A sample of 323 residents of New Jersey stratified by neighborhood quality (excellent, good, fair, poor) was gathered to determine if trust in science and technology to protect public health and environment at the societal sc ale was associated with trust of the local officials, such as the mayor, he alth officer, developers, mass media, and legislators who are guardians of the local environment. Societal (trust of science and technology) and neigh borhood (mayor, health officer) dimensions of trust were found. These socie tal and neighborhood trust dimensions were weakly correlated. Respondents w ere divided into four trust-of-authority groups: high societal-high neighbo rhood, low societal-low neighborhood, high societal-low neighborhood, and l ow societal-high neighborhood. High societal-high neighborhood trust respon dents were older, had lived in the neighborhoods for many years, were not t roubled much by neighborhood or societal environmental threats, and had a s trong sense of control over their environment. In strong contrast, low soci etal-low neighborhood trust respondents were relatively young, typically ha d lived in their present neighborhood for a short time, were troubled by nu merous neighborhood and societal environmental threats, did not practice ma ny personal public health practices, and felt little control over their env ironment.