From Challenge to Confidence: The Collapse of Trust in the Pandemic Era and the Protective Role of Belief in a Just World

Trust plays a fundamental role in almost every social domain, especially when society is facing multi-level threats. However, the impact of threats on trust and its underlying mechanism remains poorly examined. To address this gap, we conducted a series of studies with an array of methodologies spanning cross-cultural surveys, longitudinal designs, and experimental manipulations. Compelling evidence demonstrated that threats (particularly pandemics) precipitate a decline in levels of multiple forms of trust from interpersonal to institutional domains. Additionally, drawing on both correlational and causal methods (e.g., longitudinal design and priming manipulation), belief in a just world (BJW) mediates this relationship. The findings lay the groundwork for a universal Threats-BJW-Trust model of trust in times of crisis. This model extends its influence beyond the trust domain and holds profound implications for bolstering societal resilience and overall well-being.