Political trust in a multilevel polity: patterns of differentiation among more and less politically sophisticated citizens

Differentiation in political trust attitudes occurs when citizens distinguish between different institutions terms of their trustworthiness. This article explores patterns citizens’ (non-)differentiation the local, national and European Union governance levels with regard to trust. With unique Dutch data, we find that evaluations each pair governments (local–national/national–European Union/local–European Union) follows a distinct pattern. suggests citizens: (1) form more than one attitude; (2) use cognitive mechanisms (like proximity subjective rationality) make sense complexities multilevel systems. Although general found at population level were largely reproduced subgroup level, is, low high sophistication groups produced similar (non-)differentiation, highly politically sophisticated tended differentiate – they are likely evaluate ‘on its own merits’. Our results especially relevant an era declining trust, where want regain but very much dark about which government (if any) is main culprit. Points for practitioners Citizens, particularly those higher interest, exposure information education, tend orientations towards governments. citizens, some extent, judge system Therefore, politicians public managers confronted jurisdiction should seriously consider whether such negative trend might not reflect dissatisfaction governments’ lack responsiveness specific demands citizens.