The Concept of Trust

Abstract

To begin a scientific conceptualization of trust, we can ask, “What does the term to trust really mean?” In answering this question, we reveal the term’s diverse and equivocal use in vernacular language. We may “trust” other people with respect to their future actions, or “trust” organizations with respect to the promised quality of their products. We “trust” a doctor when we see her to cure us, as well as with respect to her abilities and intentions to heal us. When driving in traffic, we “trust” others to abide by the rules, just as we do. Some people “trust” the government, while others only “trust” in god or in themselves. Obviously, in each example, the term “to trust” refers to a different situation and to a different object, and connotes a different meaning.