CIVIC PARTICIPATION, POLITICAL TRUST, AND POLITICAL SELF-EFFICACY IN LATVIA

Authors

  • Vineta Silkāne Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, Valmiera, Latvia (LV)
  • Agnese Dāvidsone Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, Valmiera, Latvia (LV)
  • Ianis Bucholtz Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, Valmiera, Latvia (LV)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35363/ViA.sts.2025.131

Keywords:

civic participation, political trust, political self-efficacy

Abstract

Civic participation is a cornerstone of democratic societies, yet the underlying psychological and political factors that promote or hinder it remain a subject of scholarly debate. This study explores the relationships among civic participation, political trust, and political self-efficacy in Latvia to understand how individuals engage in civic activities. Drawing on a representative sample of 1005 Latvian residents aged 18 to 75 (M = 46.34, SD = 14.9), this research investigates how different forms of political self-efficacy and trust predict various types of civic participation.

The study was conducted as part of the national research program “Values in Action: promotion of responsible, secure and educated civil society in Latvia through research and model development” and data was collected via a survey in August and September 2020. Civic participation was operationalised through a comprehensive 30-item scale developed for this project, measuring behaviours ranging from electoral participation to political consumerism, NGO involvement, and social media activism. Factor analysis identified eight distinct types of civic participation.

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Published

04.11.2025

Issue

Vol. 3 (2025): SOCIETY. TECHNOLOGY. SOLUTIONS. Abstract Proceedings of the 5th International Scientific Conference.16.10.2025.

Section

Media, Communication, Societal Resilience and Social Inclusion

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Silkāne, V., Dāvidsone, A., & Bucholtz , I. (2025). CIVIC PARTICIPATION, POLITICAL TRUST, AND POLITICAL SELF-EFFICACY IN LATVIA. SOCIETY. TECHNOLOGY. SOLUTIONS. Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference, 3, 47-48. https://doi.org/10.35363/ViA.sts.2025.131