Calculativeness and trust: A view from phenomenology

Abstract

Oliver Williamson's characterisation of calculativeness as inimical to trust (Williamson, O. E. [1993]. Calculativeness, trust, and economic organization. The Journal of Law and Economics, 36, 453–486) contradicts most sociological trust research. However, a similar argument is found within trust phenomenology. This paper reinvestigates Williamson's argument from the perspective of Løgstrup's phenomenological theory of trust. Contrary to Williamson, however, Løgstrup's contention is that trust, not calculativeness, is the default attitude and only when suspicion is awoken does trust falter. This paper argues that while Williamson's distinction between calculativeness and trust is supported by phenomenology, the analysis needs to take actual subjective experience into consideration. It points out that, first, Løgstrup places trust alongside calculativeness as a different mode of engaging in social interaction, rather conceiving of trust as a state or the outcome of a decision-making process. Second, the analysis must take into consideration that people often engage in interaction on the basis of familiarity rather than calculation. Finally, the institutionally multilayered character of social interaction means that trust and calculativeness cannot a priori be separated into non-market and market relations. Rather, it is reasonable to expect that both trust and calculativeness may exist within both market and non-market relations.

Keywords:

• trust
• calculativeness
• phenomenology
• familiarity
• Løgstrup
• institutions

Acknowledgements

The author thanks Guido Möllering and two anonymous reviewers for helpful and insightful comments and suggestions.

Note on contributor

Morten Frederiksen, Ph.D. (Sociology, Copenhagen University) is Assistant Professor at Centre for Comparative Welfare Studies at Aalborg University. His main areas of research include values, norms and justifications in general and trust, social justice and institutional legitimacy of welfare states and social policies in particular.