The Moderating Role of Gender in the Relationship between Religiosity and Social Trust in Students of Payame Noor University of Semnan Province

Social trust is considered as one of the key elements in achieving sustainable and comprehensive development in societies. Several factors can be involved in the realization of this concept. The aim of this study was to determine the moderating role of gender in the relationship between religiosity and social trust in students.

This is a descriptive-correlational study. Participants included students of Payame Noor University of Semnan Province, out of whom 384 (200 females and 184 males) were selected using relative stratified random sampling. Data were collected using the Religiosity Measure Questionnaire (Glock & Stark) and Social Trust Questionnaire (Alizadeh Aghdam and Mohammadi). Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis test were used to analyze the data. In the present study, all the ethical considerations were observed and the authors reported no conflict of interests.

The mean (and SD) scores related to students' religiosity and social trust were 199.61 (±12.12) and 119.39 (±10.71), respectively. According to Pearson correlation coefficient, the relationship between the total score of religiosity and its dimensions with social trust in students was statistically positive and significant (P<0.001 & R=0.597). The average dimensions of religiosity and social trust in female students were significantly higher than those of male students. The results showed that religiosity and each of its dimensions including rituals, beliefs, emotions and consequences among students positively and significantly predicted social trust. The moderating role of gender in the relationship between religiosity and social trust in participants was also confirmed; this means that the effect of religiosity on students' social trust was different in the two groups of girls and boys.

According to the research findings, social trust in students is most affected by the ritual component of the variable religiosity. These findings confirm the implications of functionalist theories about the positive effect of religiosity on social health.