On the concept of trust 

Andrew J. I. Jones

Decision Support Systems 
Volume 33, Issue 3, July 2002, Pages 225-232 

doi:10.1016/S0167-9236(02)00013-1       

Abstract
Considerable diversity is exhibited by current definitions of the concept of
trust. This paper argues that there may nevertheless be an identifiable core
to the concept. On the basis of an analysis of five scenarios in which some
agent x trusts some other agent y, it is suggested that two beliefs-here
called the 'rule-belief' and the 'conformity-belief'-form the core of the
trusting attitude. The informal account of trust presented here identifies
the kinds of modalities that would figure in a modal-logical specification
of the conditions under which one agent can be said to trust another. 
 

Article Outline
1. Some definitions
2. An identifiable core?
3. Some examples
3.1. S1 (the regularity scenario)
3.2. S2 (the obligation scenario)
3.3. S3 (the role scenario)
3.4. S4 (the informing scenario)
3.5. S5 (the intention/interests scenario)
4. An analysis of the examples
4.1. S1 (the regularity scenario)
4.2. S2 (the obligation scenario)
4.3. S3 (the role scenario)
4.4. S4 (the informing scenario)
4.5. S5 (the intention/interests scenario)
5. An alternative account
6. Reasons for trusting
7. The beliefs of the trustee
8. Towards a formal framework
Acknowledgements
References
Vitae