Effect of Trust on Responsibility for the Older and Future Generations: The Mediating Role of Perception of Age-Integration

Abstract

With the intergenerational solidarity as the theoretical background, this study attempted to investigate the effect of trust on responsibility for older and future generations and to confirm whether perception of age-integration plays a mediating role in these relationships. Data from an online survey of 1,000 adult men and women aged 20 to 79 nationwide were used, and the data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. As a result of the analyses, it was found that trust had a significant effect on both responsibility for the older generations and responsibility for future generations. In addition, perception of age-integration had a partial mediating role in these relationships. Practical and policy recommendations were proposed for the sustainable era of low fertility and population aging.