Measuring Trust*

Edward L. Glaeser, David I. Laibson, Jose A. Scheinkman, Christine L. Soutter
2000 Quarterly Journal of Economics  
We combine two experiments and a survey to measure trust and trustworthiness-two key components of social capital. Standard attitudinal survey questions about trust predict trustworthy behavior in our experiments much better than they predict trusting behavior. Trusting behavior in the experiments is predicted by past trusting behavior outside of the experiments. When individuals are closer socially, both trust and trustworthiness rise. Trustworthiness declines when partners are of different
more » ... es or nationalities. High status individuals are able to elicit more trustworthiness in others.
doi:10.1162/003355300554926 fatcat:zfzxffvtovfxjbfmg2qkpti5nm