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Whether most people can be trusted, are fair, and are helpful.
| Question | Source | Years | Waves |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether people try to be fair or take advantage Do you think most people would try to take advantage of you if they got a chance, or would they try to be fair? | GSS | 1972–2024 | 30 |
| Whether most people can be trusted A. Generally speaking, would you say that most people can be trusted or that you can't be too careful in dealing with people? | GSS | 1972–2024 | 30 |
| People helpful or looking out for themselves Would you say that most of the time people try to be helpful, or that they are mostly just looking out for themselves? | GSS | 1972–2024 | 30 |
| Most people can be trusted or can't be too careful Generally speaking, would you say that most people can be trusted, or that you can’t be too careful in dealing with people? | ANES | 1964–2008 | 13 |
| People would take advantage or try to be fair Do you think most people would try to take advantage of you if they got a chance, or would they try to be fair? | ANES | 1964–2004 | 10 |
| People try to be helpful or look out for themselves Would you say that most of the time people try to be helpful, or that they are mostly just looking out for themselves? | ANES | 1964–2004 |
| 10 |
| Image of human nature as good or corrupt (READ EACH SET AND CIRCLE ONE CODE FOR EACH) | GSS | 1985–1998 | 9 |
| Whether people can be trusted Generally speaking, would you say that people can be trusted or that you can't be too careful in dealing with people? | GSS | 1998–2024 | 7 |
| Whether people try to take advantage or be fair How often do you think that people would try to take advantage of you if they got the chance and how often would they try to be fair? | GSS | 1998–2024 | 5 |
| How often other people can be trusted Generally speaking, how often can you trust other people? Always, most of the time, about half the time, once in a while, or never? | ANES | 2008–2020 | 4 |
| People should look after themselves, not worry about others D. These days people need to look after themselves and not overly worry about others | GSS | 2002–2014 | 4 |
| Returned extra change to a cashier C. Returned money to a cashier after getting too much change | GSS | 2002–2014 | 4 |
| Whether people try to be fair or take advantage, with web volunteered option Do you think most people would try to take advantage of you if they got a chance, or would they try to be fair? | GSS | 2021–2024 | 3 |
| People helpful or self-interested, volunteered option allowed Would you say that most of the time people try to be helpful, or that they are mostly just looking out for themselves? | GSS | 2021–2024 | 3 |
| People helpful or self-interested, no volunteered option Would you say that most of the time people try to be helpful, or that they are mostly just looking out for themselves? | GSS | 2021–2024 | 3 |
| Whether most people can be trusted, volunteered option be too careful in dealing with people? | GSS | 2021–2024 | 3 |
| Whether most people can be trusted, no volunteered option be too careful in dealing with people? | GSS | 2021–2024 | 3 |
| Whether people try to be fair or take advantage, no web volunteered option Do you think most people would try to take advantage of you if they got a chance, or would they try to be fair? | GSS | 2021–2024 | 3 |
| Most people don't care what happens to others C. Most people don't really care what happens to the next fellow. | GSS | 1973–1976 | 3 |
| No right or wrong ways to make money C. To make money, there are no right and wrong ways any more, only easy and hard ways. | GSS | 1973–1976 | 3 |
| Don't know whom you can count on B. These days a person doesn't really know whom he can count on. | GSS | 1973–1976 | 3 |
| Whether people can be trusted, five-point scale B1. Generally speaking, would you say that most people can be trusted, or that you can't be too careful in dealing with people? please tell me what you think, where 1 means you can't be too careful and 5 means most people can be trusted. | GSS | 2010–2021 | 2 |
| Trust in people in your neighborhood We'd like to know how much you trust people in your neighborhood. Generally speaking, would you say that you can trust all the people, most of the people, some of the people, or none of the people in your neighborhood? | CPS Civic Engagement | 2011–2013 | 2 |
| Trust in people met only online On a scale of 0 to 10, how much do you trust people you are communicating with on the Internet but have never met in person? 0 means you do not trust them at all, and 10 means you trust them completely. | GSS | 2024 | 1 |
| Most people can be trusted, 10-point scale Generally speaking, would you say that most people can be trusted or that you can’t be too careful in dealing with people; Where would you place yourself on this scale, where 0 means you can’t be too careful, and 10 means most people can be trusted. | GSS | 2024 | 1 |
| Trust in most people And now a general question about trust. On a scale from zero to ten, where zero is not at all and ten is completely, in general how much do you trust most people? | Fed SHED | 2018 | 1 |
| People fair or take advantage, five-point scale Please tell me what you think, where 1 means most people would try to take advantage of you and 5 means that most people would try to be fair. | GSS | 2010 | 1 |
| Only a few people can be trusted completely A. "There are only a few people I can trust completely." Do you... | GSS | 2006 | 1 |
| Sees self as generally trusting B. …is generally trusting | GSS | 2006 | 1 |
| Others will take advantage of you if not careful B. "If you are not careful, other people will take advantage of you." Do you... | GSS | 2006 | 1 |
| Whether most people can be trusted or need caution C. Generally speaking, would you say that most people can be trusted or that you need to be very careful in dealing with people? | GSS | 2006 | 1 |
| Sure other people want the best for you B. Most of the time you can be sure other people want the best for you | GSS | 2002 | 1 |
| Only a few people can be trusted completely A. There are only a few people I can trust completely | GSS | 2002 | 1 |
| Others will take advantage of you if not careful C. If you are not careful, other people will take advantage of you | GSS | 2002 | 1 |
| What a friend has a right to expect after a car accident A. Which statement comes closest to your belief about what your friend has a right to expect from you? | GSS | 1998 | 1 |
| Whether respondent sees self as a trusting person Do you think of yourself as a trusting person? Are you... | GSS | 1998 | 1 |
| Would tell police friend was obeying speed limit B. What would you do in this situation? | GSS | 1998 | 1 |
| Likelihood of mentioning car problems to a stranger Now imagine that someone you didn't know comes to see the car and wants to buy it. How likely would you be to mention the car's history of transmission problems (if this person did not ask)? | GSS | 1996 | 1 |
| Likelihood of mentioning car problems to a relative Now imagine that one of your relatives sees the car and wants to buy it. How likely would you be to mention the car's history of transmission problems (if this person did not ask)? | GSS | 1996 | 1 |
| Whether most people can be trusted, yes or no B. Do you think most people can be trusted? | GSS | 1983 | 1 |