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The article analyzes the relationships between religious affiliation, social participation, and trust in the digital age, drawing on data from a nationwide survey conducted in Poland (N = 1486). The aim of the study is to determine how different religious identifications: Catholicism, other denominations, agnosticism, and non-belief, differentiate forms of social capital (bonding and bridging) as well as types of trust. The study addresses the following questions: (1) whether religious affiliation strengthens traditional social ties and interpersonal trust; (2) whether secularization and agnosticism foster the development of bridging social capital; and (3) how digitally mediated interactions shape generalized trust in contemporary digital society. The analysis employs quantitative methods, including both descriptive comparative statistics and multivariate models. The findings indicate that Catholics tend to invest more strongly in traditional forms of social capital, whereas non-religious individuals and agnostics are more likely to engage in secular initiatives. The analysis also reveals that the level of trust depends both on religious identity and on the type of social network. The findings contribute to the broader debate on the role of religion and secularization in shaping social capital in post-transitional societies, highlighting the growing importance of digitally mediated interactions in contemporary patterns of trust and social participation.
Adamczyk et al. (Fri,) studied this question.