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We should also consider the
reciprocal influence between external and internal factors
.
When
X
trusts the internal powers of
Y
, she also trusts his abilities to create positive oppor-
tunities for success, to perceive and react to the external problems. Vice versa, when
X
trusts
the environmental opportunities, this evaluation could change the trust she has for
Y
(
X
could
think that
Y
is not able to react to specific external problems).
Environmental, situational, and infrastructural trust,
11
are aspects of external trust. It is
important to stress that
when the environment and the specific circumstances are safe and
reliable, less trust in Y is necessary for delegation (for example for transactions).
Vice versa,
when
X
strongly trusts
Y
, his capacities, willingness and faithfulness,
X
can accept a less safe
and reliable environment (with less external monitoring and authority). We account for this
'complementarity' between the internal and the external components of trust in
Y
for
g
in
given circumstances and a given environment.
8.3.4 Probability Misses the Active View of Trust
Reducing trust to subjective probability means also reducing trust to its 'dispositional' nature,
just to a (partial) evaluation, to a belief, a forecast or an expectation (including motivational
aspects). We will miss the other fundamental notions of trust as decision and act: trust as
betting and taking a risk on somebody, as 'relying' and 'counting on' them. Probability has
nothing to do with this; it is only one possible basis (factor) for such a decision (and the
perceived risk); but is not 'trusting somebody for
'. Moreover, the subjective probability
says nothing about trusting or not
Y
; it depends on the threshold of the acceptable risk for
X
, and on the value of the foreseen gains and harms. Also after that decision and bet there is
much more than a subjective probability: there is a 'positive expectation' and some worry.
...
8.3.5 Probability or Plausibility?
Moreover, to reduce trust to subjective probability to be taken into account in the 'subjective
expected utility' guiding the decision to act or to 'delegate', is also reductive because we
need a more sophisticated model of subjective evaluation of chances, including uncertainty
and doubts, including 'plausibility' and gap of ignorance. We have just shown how important
this is for the theory of trust, and for example the role of the 'plausibility' for characterizing
optimism, or trust by default, or the real meaning of 'give credit' (see Chapter 4). Not only is a
traditional probabilistic approach to trust reductive but it is also too elementary and obsolete.
8.3.6 Probability Reduction Exposes to
Eliminative
Behavior:
Against Williamson
The traditional arrogance of economics and its attempt to colonize with its robust apparatus
the social theory (political theory, theory of law, theory of organizations, theory of family,
etc.
12
) coherently arrives - in the field of trust - to a 'collision' (Williamson, 1985) with
the sociological view. The claim is that the notion of
trust
when applied in the economic
11
They are claimed to be really crucial in
electronic commerce
and
computer mediated interaction
.
12
In his section on 'Economics and the Contiguous Disciplines' ((Williamson, 1985) p. 251) Williamson himself
gives example of this in law, political science, in sociology.
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