Interpersonal Trust Research Articles

“The risks cannot be compensated”: The willingness to donate DNA for science and its relationship with economic preferences

AbstractThe accumulation of large genetic data is crucial for the scientific advancement of genetic research and precision medicine, but various participation biases threaten the validity of genetic research data sets. To better understand the decision to participate and its relationship with economic incentives and preferences, we studied the stated willingness to donate DNA for science by saliva sample in a representative panel of Dutch households. There were two randomized treatments, varying (i) the information material on benefits and risks and (ii) the intended financial incentive. The first treatment had no detectable effect, suggesting insensitivity to the information material. The higher incentive conditions had modest and diminishing effects, suggesting that offering higher incentives is not cost‐effective. Stated reasons not to donate DNA concentrated on personal risks, e.g., privacy violations and data exploitation. Accordingly, stated risk willingness was found strongly associated, followed by trust and positive reciprocity. Revealed economic preferences were not associated. The results support previous findings for self‐rated health, interpersonal trust and confidence in science or societal institutions but not for certain demographic variables (e.g., age, education and religiosity). We conclude by proposing strategies to encourage participation, e.g., to reallocate resources to risk‐minimizing or compensatory measures.

Identity Multiplicity Signaling Fosters Interpersonal Trust

ABSTRACTThis study investigates how and why signaling multiple identities (vs. a single identity) influences interpersonal trust. Seven studies—including five experiments, one qualitative study, and one supplementary study in the field setting—demonstrate that identity multiplicity signaling promotes interpersonal trust by enhancing perceived authenticity. We also test alternative explanations and show that the effect of identity multiplicity signaling on interpersonal trust diminishes when monetary exchange cues are highlighted and when the signaled multiple identities are inconsistent. Taken together, the results advance the understanding of the multifaceted nature of identity and its social cognitive consequences. This study also offers practical implications for individuals and groups to take advantage of identity multiplicity signaling in the context of online communication.

Shared Use of Intimate Technology: A Large-Scale Qualitative Study on the Use of Natural Cycles as a Digital Contraceptive

We present a large-scale, qualitative interview study that examines how an intimate technology within reproductive health comes to be chosen and trusted as a mode of contraception and how its use is shared between partners. We conducted 133 semi-structured interviews with primary users of Natural Cycles, focusing specifically on its use as a digital contraceptive. Our interpretive analysis, first, sheds light on perceptions of risks and benefits, along with how, and by whom, the decision to adopt Natural Cycles got made. Second, we discuss participants' and their partners' gradual development of trust in the system, and how this intertwines with interpersonal trust. Third, we consider the shared use of Natural Cycles, including partner involvement in temperature tracking, the sharing of intimate data, and navigating specific choices and risks regarding sex and contraception. We make a primarily empirical contribution to Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) research on shared uses of technology and the sharing of intimate data, and highlight avenues for future work to foster understanding of intimate technologies and their shared use in relational settings.

Leadership Dynamics in Open Innovation: A Dynamic Process Model

AbstractThis study contributes to understanding the human side of open innovation (OI) by reconceptualizing leadership as an emergent and dynamic process. Drawing upon extensive research in leadership theory and insights from emerging studies on non‐traditional organizational structures such as online communities and technology collaborations, the study introduces a dynamic process model of leadership within OI environments. Central to this model are two pivotal dimensions: the foundation of leadership authority (formal vs. informal) and the leader's orientation to engaging followers (democratic/participative vs. autocratic/hierarchical). The model is empirically validated by means of a longitudinal case study of co‐creation initiatives – a type of OI – within the cultural heritage sector. Three theoretical implications are derived from the analysis. First, we observe a dynamic interplay among various informal sources of authority – technical expertise and interpersonal trust – across the duration of OI projects. Second, the leader's orientation to followers constitutes a skill and an adaptive capability rather than a fixed personal trait. Third, we underscore the significance of physical proximity as a crucial determinant of leadership effectiveness in OI settings, influencing a leader's comprehension and interpretation of the contextual landscape. In doing so the study advances and enriches the theoretical underpinnings of OI leadership, moving beyond conventional models rooted in closed‐innovation paradigms. Our research underscores the necessity of embracing the dynamic nature of leadership within OI projects, offering valuable insights for practitioners and scholars alike.

Childhood Vaccine Hesitancy as an Interaction-Based Phenomenon.

The paper discusses the role of the interaction between parents and healthcare professionals in overcoming or heightening childhood vaccine hesitancy. Childhood vaccine hesitancy is seen as a set of attitudes and behaviours-that is, dispositions-that are highly dependent on how trust and vulnerability intersect during vaccination appointments. Drawing on a rapid team ethnography conducted in the Northwest of Italy, we discuss how parents' trust in vaccination changes along specific trajectories, depending on how healthcare professionals manage epistemic conflicts with hesitant parents. We employ the concept of interactional trust to show how trust can be eroded or restored during specific interactions, regardless of the initial trust capital. Healthcare professionals' discursive and interactive strategies during inoculation can have long-term effects on parents' interpersonal trust and institutional trust in both immunisation and in the healthcare system. If parents and healthcare professionals fail to embrace their reciprocal vulnerability, the trust building system is flawed.

Young children's interpersonal trust update based on promise fulfillment: Relationship counts

Young children's interpersonal trust update based on promise fulfillment: Relationship counts

Integrating Narrative Pedagogy and Developmental Psychology: Using I Am Shakespeare to Teach Structural Health Inequities in Public Health Education

This study evaluates the pedagogical impact of integrating the documentary I Am Shakespeare: The Henry Green Story into an undergraduate public health course focused on structural health inequities. Through narrative-based learning, students examined how social determinants, such as racism, poverty, educational access, and neighborhood disinvestment, shape individual and population health outcomes. The documentary provided an emotionally resonant entry point for applying frameworks like the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) and the Social-Ecological Model (SEM), while also engaging students in complex themes such as hypermasculinity, trauma, and resilience. The study draws on student reflections, final papers, and survey data to assess how narrative-centered instruction supports systems thinking, cultural humility, and advocacy-oriented learning. In addition to these public health competencies, the analysis incorporates developmental psychology perspectives, emphasizing how late adolescence and emerging adulthood, critical periods for identity formation, emotional regulation, and cognitive growth, are shaped by exposure to structural violence and chronic stress. Students demonstrated increased awareness of the psychological toll of inequity, including its impact on self-efficacy, executive function, and interpersonal trust. Findings suggest that narrative-based learning promotes both conceptual mastery and personal growth, helping students integrate academic content with evolving ethical and professional identities. By bridging public health theory with lived experience, and aligning instruction with developmental and psychological milestones, this approach offers a multidimensional framework for preparing equity-minded public health professionals. The study highlights the value of interdisciplinary pedagogy in fostering critical reflection, empathy, and a deeper commitment to social transformation.

Trust in machines: how personality trait shapes static and dynamic trust across different human–machine interaction modalities

With the rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI), intelligent machines are increasingly displaying “human-like personality,” shifting Human–Machine Interaction (HMI) from one-way guidance to interactive, multi-level dynamics. Trust plays a pivotal role in the development and maintenance of these evolving interactions. While personality traits have been recognized as key factors in shaping and enhancing interpersonal trust, their role in the development of static and dynamic trust in HMI remains underexplored. This study investigates how personality traits influence trust in HMI across two interaction modalities: Personal Computer (PC) and Virtual Reality (VR). By simulating real-world interaction scenarios, we examined the impact of personality traits on both static and dynamic trust, and explored the relationship between them. The results showed that in the PC modality, personality traits significantly affected both static and dynamic trust, with static trust serving as a strong predictor of dynamic trust. In the VR modality, personality traits significantly influenced static trust, and static trust again played a key role in shaping dynamic trust. These findings underscore the foundational importance of static trust in the evolution of trust in HMI, and highlight the need to consider individual personality differences and interaction modalities in the design of AI-driven interfaces to foster trust and promote long-term engagement.

Identifying professional development needs to enhance inclusive leadership among university faculty in Chongqing, China

This study aims to identify the professional development needs required to enhance inclusive leadership among university faculty members in Chongqing, China. As part of a broader initiative to design a competency-based training model for higher education, the research adopts a quantitative, descriptive design involving 379 academic professionals. A structured needs assessment tool, utilizing a modified Priority Needs Index (PNImodified), was employed. The findings revealed significant gaps between the current and desired states of inclusive leadership, particularly in talent optimization, adaptive mindset, and interpersonal trust. Training was the most frequently cited off-the-job method, while mentoring and coaching dominated among on-the-job strategies. The study concludes that inclusive leadership development remains insufficiently addressed in current faculty development efforts. Practically, the results inform the design of targeted training models for higher education, offering strategic direction for future human resource development (HRD) initiatives in Chinese universities.

Sense of global connectedness: testing knowledge gap and social capital theories, with a focus on English as a Lingua Franca

ABSTRACT This study delves into two primary objectives: firstly, to employ the Knowledge Gap Hypothesis (KGH) to discern the determinants of knowledge pertaining to international affairs; and secondly, to integrate the outcomes of the former objective (acquired knowledge of international affairs), with variables derived from Social Capital Theory (SCT) to anticipate the sensation of connectedness to the global community. Drawing upon empirical data gleaned from questionnaire responses sourced from the World Value Survey (WVS), encompassing three distinct nations, namely the United States (U.S.), Iraq, and Romania, a sample size comprising 2596 individuals from the U.S., 1200 from Iraq, and 1257 from Romania was subjected to two regression analyses. The findings reveal that factors attributed to KGH, namely English education, socio-economic status, and engagement with online media, significantly predict a heightened knowledge of international affairs. Conversely, the emotional proximity to the world is prognosticated by SCT-oriented variables, such as levels of interpersonal trust, perceptions of immigrants, and the acceptance of residing alongside neighbours from diverse cultural backgrounds. These results are further expounded in the context of potential policy implementations and guidelines that could be instrumental in augmenting the sense of affinity with the global community within the educational domain.

An interdisciplinary investigation into the behaviors that build (and express) interpersonal trust

An interdisciplinary investigation into the behaviors that build (and express) interpersonal trust

Could Pilots and Controllers Learn to Adequately Trust Their Partners?

Abstract: To find out whether it is possible to train pilots and controllers to adequately trust their partners, and thus modify their behavior and increase their performance, this study experimentally tested whether individuals’ disposition to trust is influenced by their social learning. Objective measurements related to the task to perform, collected over two successive phases, were used for two different groups of aviation staff. The results highlight a link between swift trust, supervision strategies, and time management and point to the social nature of the disposition to trust. This opens the way to a new experimental approach to the study of behaviors induced by interpersonal trust and to new pedagogical levers for optimizing the activity of ephemeral teams through training.

The effects of social mindfulness and online interpersonal trust on college students’ online prosocial behavior

IntroductionWith the widespread adoption of the internet and social media, adolescents’ social interactions through online platforms have increasingly expanded. Adolescents’ prosocial activities in cyberspace not only serve as important indications of their socialization but also show how the internet and technology impact the new generation’s psychological adjustment and social integration patterns. Our study aimed to construct a moderated mediation model to explore the impact of social mindfulness on online prosocial behavior, as well as the mediating role of perceived prosocial impact and the moderating role of online interpersonal trust. Three experiments were designed based on the model to verify the applicability of the previously constructed model in real-world contexts.MethodsIn Study 1, a cross-sectional study was conducted at a college in China, recruiting 328 college students using self-report questionnaires. The Social Mindfulness Self-Report Scale, the Online Prosocial Behavior Extension Scale (Chinese Version), the Perceived Social Impact Scale, and the Online Interpersonal Trust Scale were used. This study explored the relationship between social mindfulness and online prosocial behavior, the mediating effect of perceived prosocial impact, and the moderating role of online interpersonal trust. In Study 2, we adopted experimental research among 60 Chinese college students to explore the prosocial behavior of participants with different levels of social mindfulness in online contexts with varying levels of credibility.Results(1) Social mindfulness positively predicted online prosocial behavior, with perceived prosocial impact serving as a partial mediator. Online interpersonal trust moderated the latter part of the mediation model. (2) Social mindfulness and contextual credibility positively predicted college students’ online prosocial behavior.

Why We Disclose on Social Media? Towards a Dual-Pathway Model.

Grounded in social penetration theory and social capital theory, this study aims to investigate how social media self-disclosure influences bridging and bonding online social capital, and how these in turn affect users' loneliness and online interpersonal trust. A moderated mediation model was proposed and tested using cross-sectional survey data collected from 1519 Chinese netizens. Regression analyses revealed that self-disclosure on social media positively predicted both types of online social capital. Bridging social capital mediated the relationship between self-disclosure and reduced loneliness, while bonding social capital mediated the link between self-disclosure and enhanced online interpersonal trust. Moreover, agreeableness moderated the effect of self-disclosure on bonding social capital. These findings enrich the theoretical understanding of online self-disclosure and reveal the underlying motivations for users to disclose personal information on social media, even in the context of the privacy paradox.

Brokered distances: Trust in brokers within and between organizations

Organizational brokers, such as producers, diplomats, and middle managers, connect people within and across organizations. Trust in brokers promotes their effectiveness in connecting unfamiliar counterparts and transferring information between disconnected parties. Often, however, the very conditions that create the need for brokering, such as the existence of structural holes, undermine trust in brokers. We introduce an organizing framework to explain how fundamental features of brokering processes shape the perceived trustworthiness of brokers. Specifically, we describe how individuals make inferences about brokers’ ability, benevolence, and integrity based on the horizontal and vertical distances they bridge, the extent to which their brokering involves in-role versus extra-role behavior, and the extent to which they facilitate indirect versus direct exchanges between counterparts. Our model links situational features of brokering processes with established antecedents of interpersonal trust, thereby identifying challenges and opportunities for brokers and organizations.

The Longitudinal Relationship Between Close Friendship and Subjective Well-Being: The Chain Mediation Model of Interpersonal Trust and Perceived Social Support.

Adolescence is a critical period for developing interpersonal relationships and plays a significant role in the growth of subjective well-being. Establishing positive friendships is one of the most important predictors of subjective well-being. This study employs a longitudinal method, tracking Chinese adolescents to investigate the impact of individuals' number of close friends on subjective well-being by examining the chain mediating roles of interpersonal trust and perceived social support. Data were collected from 987 junior high school students across five schools in Shandong Province and analysed using SPSS 27.0. The results indicate that the number of close friends at Time 1 (T1) significantly positively affects the level of subjective well-being at Time 3 (T3). At Time 2 (T2), perceived social support mediates the relationship between the number of close friends at T1 and subjective well-being at T3. Furthermore, the number of close friends at T1 has a longitudinal mediating effect on subjective well-being at T3. This effect is mediated by interpersonal trust and perceived social support at T2. This study reveals the mechanisms by which the number of close friends influences subjective well-being among Chinese adolescents. The findings highlight the significance of fostering healthy interpersonal relationships among adolescents in China. This can be achieved by promoting initiatives that enhance levels of interpersonal trust and perceived social support within communities, thereby improving overall subjective well-being among adolescents.

THE FORMATION OF “SILVER” AND CROSS-CULTURAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP: GENDER AND AGE ASPECTS OF THE SOCIAL CAPITAL INSTITUTE

The qualitative development of the institution of social capital is important in times of war and post-war economic recovery of the country. The formation and development of “silver” and cross-cultural entrepreneurship are components of the economic reconstruction of Ukraine, ensuring employment of the population and economic activity of the country. The purpose of the article is to determine the main aspects of the formation of “silver” business and cross-cultural entrepreneurship, to determine their characteristic features, to present the actualization of social values, gender, age, mental, and cultural aspects. To achieve the specified goal, the work used methods of analysis and synthesis, grouping, generalization, and comparison, which allowed for a comprehensive study of scientific achievements on the issues of inclusive development of “silver” and cross-cultural business. The article substantiates the place and role of the institution of social capital in the formation of “silver” and cross-cultural entrepreneurship. The determinants of the development of these types of business are indicated. The authors offered their own understanding of cross-cultural entrepreneurship, noting that in this type of entrepreneurship, employees must take into account the fact that behavior and compliance with business rules may vary, and in cross-cultural entrepreneurship it is necessary to apply a flexible approach to business management and take into account current situations, possible constant changes. The gender and inclusive components of opening a cross-cultural and “silver” business are considered. The chain of interaction of the key components of the process of developing a “silver” business and cross-cultural entrepreneurship is presented. The practical value of the study lies in emphasizing that the inclusive development of cross-cultural entrepreneurship is achieved through expanding cooperation, strengthening the institution of corporate and interpersonal trust, and eliminating ethnic conflicts. The need for social mobility for older people has become apparent.

Analysis of the role of self-efficacy and interpersonal relationships in the relationship between subjective family socio-economic status and college students’ trust character: a case study of a university in Shaanxi Province, China

Trust can assist college students in navigating the challenges of loss during their growth and development, ultimately facilitating their personal growth and well-being. From the perspective of virtue, this study proposes a new concept of “trust character”, which reveals the relationship between subjective family socioeconomic status and college students’ trust character through self-efficacy and interpersonal communication. In this study, 1211 college students from a university in Shaanxi Province were surveyed by stratified sampling using the Subjective Family Socioeconomic Status Scale, the Self-Efficacy Scale, the Interpersonal Interaction Scale, and the Trust Character Scale. The results showed that subjective family socioeconomic status was significantly positively correlated with self-efficacy (r = 0.161), interpersonal communication (r = 0.193), and trust character (r = 0.160). Self-efficacy was positively correlated with interpersonal communication (r = 0.461) and trust character (r = 0.616). Interpersonal communication was positively correlated with trust character (r = 0.492). The direct and indirect effects of subjective family socioeconomic status on college students’ trust character were significant, including the mediating value of self-efficacy was 0.080 (61.07%), the mediating value of interpersonal communication was 0.032 (24.43%), and the chain mediating value of self-efficacy and interpersonal communication was 0.019 (effect size) was 14.50%.The research shows that the trust character of college students is composed of three dimensions: trust yourself, trust others, trust people. Self-efficacy and interpersonal communication not only play an independent mediating role but also play a chain mediating role between subjective family socioeconomic status and college students’ trust character.

Polarization and Voluntary Compliance: The Impact of Ideological Extremity on the Effectiveness of Self‐Regulation

ABSTRACTNew governance models increasingly employ self‐regulation tools like pledges and nudges to achieve regulatory compliance. These approaches premise that voluntary compliance emerges from intrinsic motivation to cooperate rather than coercive measures. Central to their success is trust—both in government institutions and among citizens. However, rising societal polarization raises critical questions about the continued effectiveness of self‐regulatory approaches. This paper examines how ideological extremity, a key dimension of polarization, affects cooperation in self‐regulatory contexts. We theorize that ideological extremity erodes trust in government and interpersonal trust, thereby diminishing cooperative behavior and threatening self‐regulation's viability. Furthermore, we propose that extremity transforms authority dynamics, with ideological orientation and partisan alignment increasingly determining cooperation levels. Using data from the European Social Survey (ESS) and World Value Survey (WVS), we find robust evidence that ideological extremity undermines cooperation through distinct mechanisms across the ideological spectrum. While our data has limitations, our findings have important implications for policymakers implementing self‐regulation tools in polarized societies. The results suggest the need to carefully consider how ideological dynamics shape the effectiveness of voluntary compliance mechanisms.

Sleep Deprivation Selectively Impairs Interpersonal Trust in Different Social Scenarios: Evidence from the Social Mindfulness Paradigm.

Sleep deprivation (SD) is widely recognized for its negative impact on both cognitive abilities and social interactions. Nonetheless, the effect of sleep deprivation on interpersonal trust in social scenarios is poorly understood. This study investigated the impact of total sleep deprivation on interpersonal trust under two different social scenarios: kindness and unkindness. All participants (N = 49) completed the Social Mindfulness paradigm (SoMi) after both normal sleep (NS) and SD. Alertness changes were assessed using the Psychomotor Vigilance test (PVT) and the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS). Our results demonstrated that SD significantly impaired interpersonal trust when perceiving unkind intentions but did not affect trust in kind intentions (p < 0.05). Additionally, this detrimental effect was not related to changes in alertness (p > 0.05). These findings suggest that SD selectively impacts interpersonal trust, and this effect is not influenced by simple cognitive functions such as alertness. Further research could incorporate brain imaging techniques to explore the association of other cognitive and affective factors with interpersonal trust after sleep loss.