Trust, Norms, and Cooperation: Development and Test of a Simplified Model

Abstract

Trust at the interpersonal level in organizational settings has been researched extensively, yet little has been learned about the process through which trust affects cooperation and of the role of the social context in this process. Further, the models most often cited are complex and difficult to operationalize. This study investigates the effects of trust, subjective norms, and intent to cooperate on cooperative behavior using a simplified model. The findings demonstrate that the simplified model is useful for understanding the link between trust and cooperation and underscore the importance of perceived norms in the process. Implications for management are discussed.