Informational Processing and the Transparency-Trust Link: Political Affiliation, Values, and Information Search Behaviors

The literature has recognized that the relationship between transparency and trust in government depends on the characteristics of the messages, the informational environment, and the receivers. However, little research has examined how receivers’ political affiliation, values, and information search behaviors influence their information processing and thereby moderate the transparency-trust relationship. Using individual-level survey data combined with provincial-level data from China, the study finds that transparency on government websites is positively associated with trust in government. This positive effect is particularly pronounced among individuals who are Chinese Communist Party (CCP) members, more frequently use traditional media, or have stronger authoritarian values.