Origins and Explanations: An Interdisciplinary Approach

Abstract

Having defined the major components of the trust concept—its objective structure and subjective experience—we can now take a closer look at the theoretical approaches and major research paradigms of trust research. The overarching idea in this discussion is to provide an interdisciplinary perspective and to outline the commonality, mutuality, and similarities that allow the existing theory to be integrated into a broader theoretical framework. In short, the psychological, sociological, and economic disciplines, by each emphasizing different aspects of the trust phenomenon, provide a unique perspective on trust that deserves proper and detailed presentation. In developing an interdisciplinary perspective, the aim is not to discuss the pros and cons of each paradigm and to finally opt for one of them, or rule out another. Instead, we want to carve out the reasons behind their incompatibility and the lack of cross-disciplinary fertilization. As we will see, the most essential factor which prevents the development of a more comprehensive and integrative perspective is, across disciplines, an insufficient consideration of the aspect of adaptive rationality.