Information processing and the transparency–trust link: Political affiliation, values, and information search behaviors in China
研究利用中国个体与省级数据，发现政府网站透明度与政府信任正相关，且这种效应在中共党员、传统媒体高频使用者及权威价值观较强的人群中更显著。
The literature has recognized that the relationship between transparency and trust in government depends on the characteristics of the messages, the informational environment, and the receivers. However, little research has examined how receivers’ political affiliation, values, and information search behaviors influence their information processing and thereby moderate the transparency–trust relationship. Using individual-level survey data combined with provincial-level data from China—a non-Western context with distinctive political institutions and cultural norms—the study finds that transparency on government websites is positively associated with trust in government. This positive effect is particularly pronounced among individuals who are members of the Communist Party of China, more frequently use traditional media, or have stronger authoritarian values.