The issue of lack of trust in politics and institutions is strongly debated in the social sciences studies. The research project "The cynical spectator. A survey on the conflict in talk shows and trust in politics" aims to provide empirical elements useful to test the hypothesis according to which the conflict in the talk show could be linked to the lack of trust in politics and institutions. Using an approach referring to the "experimental" techniques, the research project sought to critically retrace a US study on the topic of public cynicism by applying it to the system of values of the Italian university youth.
Keywords: Public cynicism, trust, conflict, politics, talk show, youth