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

The current study examines the impact of COVID-19 pandemic threats on trust and its underlying mechanisms. Through 10 independent studies employing various methodologies, including surveys, longitudinal designs, experimental manipulations, big data, natural language processing, and meta-analyses, we discovered that people’s trust in others and organizations fluctuated based on their perception of threats. Furthermore, we identified belief in a just world (BJW) as a key mediator in this relationship. Our research not only contributes to exploring the intricacies of people’s trust amidst pandemics, but also illuminates trust dynamics during crises and individual responses to heightened threats. Our findings have significant implications for fostering trust in the face of threats and facilitating societal resilience in future challenges.