The Affective and Intuitive Forms of Trust: The Confidence We Inspire - Trust Theory: A Socio-Cognitive and Computational Model - page 128

5.1 Two Forms of 'Evaluation'
As we said trust is a form of appraisal (of the trustee by the trustor); it is an attitude based on
or implying an evaluation (and an act signaling it). However, there are two different forms of
evaluation/appraisal in cognitive agents: explicit evaluative judgments (beliefs) versus implicit,
affective appraisal . The first kind has been systematically explained in Chapter 2 (with the
theory of 'qualities', 'standards', two kinds of 'negative evaluations' and so on). The other
kind deserves some more attention (Miceli, 2000), (Castelfranchi, 2000).

5.2 The Dual Nature of Valence: Cognitive Evaluations Versus
Intuitive Appraisal
There are at least two kinds of appreciation of the valence of events, situations, and entities;
two kinds of 'evaluation' in a broad sense.

a) A declarative or explicit form of evaluation , that contains a judgment of a means-end
link, frequently supported by some reason for this judgment, relative to some 'quality' or
standard satisfaction.
This is a reason-based evaluation that can be discussed, explained, argued upon. Also
the goal of having/using the well-evaluated entity (which is the declarative equivalent of
'attraction') can be 'justified'. This is the classical approach to values (moral or ethical)
that is synthesized by the 'motto' (of Aristotelian spirit):

'it is pleasant/ we like it, because it is good/beautiful'

b) A non-'rational' (or better non-'reasons-based') but adaptive evaluation , not based on
justifiable arguments; a mere 'appraisal', 3 which is just based on associative learning and

memory.

In our view, in the psychological literature on emotions, in particular in the very important
and rich literature on emotions as based on a cognitive appraisal of the situation (Frijda, 1986),
(Frijda, 1988), (Arnold, 1960), (Scherer, 1986), (Scherer, 1999), there is a systematic and
dangerous confusion between these two kinds of 'evaluation' (also in Damasio). Incoherent
terms and properties are attributed indifferently to the term 'appraisal' or 'evaluation'. This
fundamental forerunner and component of the emotion is characterized - at the same time - as
'cognitive', 'intuitive', 'immediate', 'unconscious', implying also inferences and predictions,
etc. We propose (see also (Miceli, 2000), (Castelfranchi, 2000) (Castelfranchi, 2009)) to
distinguish between 'appraisal' - that should be the unconscious or automatic, implicit,
intuitive orientation towards what is good an what is bad for the organism- and 'evaluation'.
We reserve this last term (evaluation) for the cognitive judgments relative to what is good or
bad for the goal (and why).

3 Although the English term 'appraisal' is basically a synonym of 'evaluation', let's use it - for the sake of simplicity -
for characterizing the second form of evaluation: the intuitive, implicit, affective, somatic, ... . appraisal.