Online consumer trust research and Maslow's hierarchy of needs

Abstract

This study analyses trends in online trust research that reflect the online consumers' evaluation of website's trustworthiness and compares those trends to the Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Online trust research looks into how individuals establish trust in virtual reality in an attempt to build long-term customer relationships based on trust and loyalty. Maslow's hierarchy of needs describes the process of self-actualisation or realising one's own potential for growth. It appears that researchers study different aspects of online trust in a certain pattern. This paper applies findings from the context of motivational psychology to the new area of application - online trust in e-commerce by offering a parallel comparison between Maslow's hierarchy of needs and trends in online trust research. It offers suggestions on how to apply a spiral cycle of research to managing online relationships.