Ethno-religious groups, identification, trust and social distance in the ethno-religiously stratified Philippines

Unlike in the West, people's identification with religion remains significant in the political and social arena in the ethno-religiously stratified Philippine society. At the height of the peace talks to end the protracted conflict between Christians and Muslims in the Southern Philippines, this study examines the relationship between ethno-religious categorization, identification and social distance by testing the mediation of out-group trust. It has been found that salience of religious identification influences willingness to maintain social distance with out-groups. The relationship between ethno-religious categories and social distance is explained by out-group trust. This main finding highlights the role of out-group trust in the ethno-religiously stratified society with collectivist culture.