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The studies presented in this thesis have been driven by a consistent finding that individuals' in different nations vary in how much they trust most others. Their central aim is to identify some of the individual and national characteristics which may account for this variation, and to assess the process of propagation of trust from a generalized to a specific other. Seven studies are reported in this thesis. Studies 1 and 2 are concerned with the development of the Generalized Social Trust (GST) scale, refining its factorial structure and cross-cultural equivalence across Romanian, British and Canadian_s~mples. A 16-item scale with a two-factorial structure (generalized social trust and distrust) reaches measurement invariance. Studies 3, 4 and 5 focus on three models of GST: a cultural model (idiocentric-allocentric values, independent and interdependent self-construals), an economic model (wealth) and a social capital model (political attitudes, participation in civic activities and voluntary organizations). Studies 3 and 5 use secondary data sources from Rounds 2 (25 nations) and 1 (21 nations) of the European Social Survey, while Study 4 includes Romanian and British samples recruited by the author. Multilevel regression analyses are used to test these models at the individual and national levels of analysis. Multiple regressions are also used in Study 4. At the individual level, the two types of self-construal (Study 4) and political attitudes (Study 5) are the best predictors of GST. At the nation level, Gross National Product (GNP) significanfly predicts trust ratings. In Studies 6 and 7, the process of propagation of GST to a specific target (ingroup member, friend of a friend and stranger) is considered in Romanian and Canadian samples. Using structural equation modelling, the main results show GST to have an indirect effect on the decision to trust via expectations of honesty, promise keeping and reciprocity. Culture moderates the effect of ingroup and relational targets on the decision to trust. While selfconstruals effects on GST are replicated, no such effects are observed in relation to the decision to trust. In conclusion, this thesis shows that some of the individual variation in GST can be best explained by one's self-construal, political attitudes and the wealth of their nation. Also, it shows that the propagation of trust from an abstract target to a specific one is fully mediated by target-specific expectations.

The primary aim of this research is to explore why women create and utilise women-only space. This thesis explores this question from the perspectives of the women who occupy these environments. It examines the experiences of women from four different spaces located in the United Kingdom. For the purposes of this thesis, women-only space is defined as space created, occupied and maintained by women for women. I argue that though the subject of women-only space is an under-researched subject area many different kinds of women continue to use and benefit from these spaces in a variety of ways. This contradiction provides one of the motivations for conducting empirical research which seeks to address deficits in knowledge and theorisation relating to the subject. Participants locate their discussion of women-only space in relation to lesbian separatism and confirm the continued relevance of particular aspects of this ideology and practice. Participants concur with a number of lesbian separatist writers (Hoagland 1988 and Penelope and Dixon 1988) that separation is valuable to some women and offers a degree of safety and opportunities for empowerment. This thesis also explores aspects of postmodern, postfeminist and Queer theorisations and some of the implications they have for the concept of gender separation and separatism. Considering some of the socio-political and cultural changes which have impacted on women's status since lesbian separatism was conceived, this work considers claims that there is a need to look again at the subject of separatism in order to revise our understandings and expectations of this practice. Illustrating the points at which women's experiences and perceptions diverge from lesbian separatism, this work also goes on to consider alternative models of separation including Dixon's (1988) model of 'graduated separatism'. While continuing to affirm the fundamental value of gender separation, this model I propose, if developed has the potential to provide a more flexible and inclusive form of separatism.

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