In search of trust for newly formed virtual disaster recovery teams

Abstract

This research explores the potential determinants of trust in newly formed virtual teams to better inform the choice of communication media for virtual disaster recovery groups for whom interpersonal trust is crucial. Using a laboratory experiment, we examine the various ways that communicants view their teammates and themselves as part of the team and find that they are significantly correlated with the level of intra-team trust that is experienced. Specifically, impression formation, public self-awareness, perceived social presence, and self-disclosure are all found to have significant correlations with trust among ad hoc teammates. It is therefore recommended that the design of emergency response communication systems include features to foster these feelings thereby promoting trust among teammates. Our results are applicable to ad hoc emergency teams who interact for a period of time to address relief and recovery efforts after a major disaster or emergency.