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exploits
and
fosters
SOCIAL
ORDER
TRUST
is the
basis of
and
requires
Figure 9.2
The virtuous loop between Trust and Social Order
9.4 From Micro to Macro: a Web of Trust
Let us also argue how the cognitive and interactive dynamics of trust produce the fact that
trust-networks are real dynamic webs, with their own emergent macro-dynamics. They are not
static, topological structures; only the sum of local relationships. Local events/changes have
trans-local repercussions; the entire network can be changed; the diffused trust relationships
can collapse, etc. As Annette Baier said ((Baier, 1994) p. 149): 'Trust comes in webs, not in
single strands; and disrupting one strand often rips apart whole webs'.
For us Bayer is too extreme: also, merely interpersonal, dyadic (and even unilateral) trust
attitudes, decisions, and relations (strands) exist. However, the phenomenon pointed out by
Baier is important and must be modeled. We can also consider the individual or bilateral trust
relations as very local, small and isolated webs. Actually it is true that trust attitudes and
relations have a web nature.
How and why do these repercussions hold? Which are the mechanisms of this web-
dynamics?
9.4.1 Local Repercussions
If
X
trusts
Y
,
W
, and
Z
, the fact that she revises her trust in
Y
can affect her trust in
W
and/or
Z
; there might be some repercussion. Not only because the trust in
Y
might have been also
comparative:
X
has decided to actively trust
Y
, to choose
Y
and delegate to him, in comparison
with
W
and
Z
. Thus, the success of this delegation (or the decision itself, thanks to Festinger's
effect (Festinger, 1957)) can make more certain
X
's evaluation of
Y
and change the relative
strength of trust in
W
and
Z
. While the failure of that delegation can comparatively increase
trust in
W
and
Z
.
There might also be other repercussions. For example some common category (see Sec-
tion 6.6) or some pertinent analogy between
Y
and
Z
, and thus the success or failure of
Y
can
also change the intrinsic evaluation and expectation about
Z
. The trust in
Y
is betrayed or a
disaster, but
Y
and
Z
belong to the same category/role (for example, layers);
X
generalizes
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