Trust and trustworthiness

This article explores the concepts of trust and trustworthiness within the framework of social capital. Trust and trustworthiness are key elements of the relational dimension of social capital, alongside the structural and cognitive dimensions. Trust is considered essential for the existence of social capital, playing a central role in social interactions, exchanges, and cooperative behaviour. Trust is often mentioned explicitly in definitions of social capital and is recognised as a core component of social capital by various authors. Effective collective action and productive cooperation require high levels of trust and perceptions of trustworthiness. Trust lubricates social life and enables peaceful and stable social relations. It can be built within personal relationships based on reputation and experience and outside relationships based on socialisation and coordinating institutions. The distinction between particularised trust (between people who know each other well) and generalised trust (between strangers) is commonly discussed. Trustworthiness refers to an individual’s reputation and track record of fulfilling promises and obligations, while trustworthiness of others is related to shared norms and understandings. The article acknowledges that trust is complex and multifaceted, influenced by personal experiences and contextual factors. Institutions play a crucial role in shaping perceptions of trust and trustworthiness by facilitating the development of shared norms and cognitive understandings. Trust and trustworthiness can be viewed as aspects of both the relational and cognitive dimensions of social capital, depending on the specific conceptual approach and level of analysis. The article concludes that trust is a socially situated calculation and predisposition grounded in subjective experiences and intersubjectivity.