Qualitative meta-analysis of propensity to trust measurement

ABSTRACT

In a rapidly changing and dynamic world, individuals’ propensity to trust is likely to become an increasingly important facet for understanding human behaviour, yet its measurement has mostly been unexplored. We undertake the first systematic qualitative survey of propensity to trust scales using qualitative meta-analysis methodology to review the literature (1966–2018) and identify 26 measures and their applications in 179 studies. Using content analysis, we thematically organise these scales into six thematic areas and discuss the emerging implications. We find that while most of these scales reflect propensity to trust in terms of a positive belief in human nature, other themes include general trust, role expectations, institutional trust, cautiousness and other personality attributes. We reveal significant methodological concerns regarding several scales and argue for more considered selection of scales for use in research. We examine the case for multidimensionality in measures of propensity to trust used within organisational research. Rather than treating a lack of generalisability of findings in existing organisational studies as purely a problem of measurement design, we instead outline an agenda for further conceptual and empirical study.

KEYWORDS:

• Trust
• disposition
• review
• qualitative meta-analysis
• trust dimensions

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Volker Patent holds a position as lecturer in the School of Psychology at the Open University, where he is Innovations fellow, and Employability lead for Psychology. He obtained his PhD in 2015 from the Open University. He is a Chartered Psychologist and has held faculty positions at Bedfordshire University and worked freelance as a trainer, consultant and assessment specialist in industry, medical recruitment and public engagement. His research specifically focuses on trust and personality, trust in selection/recruitment, mentoring and coaching, and trust in individual and organisational decision-making. His research appears in the British Journal of Social Work, in Searle & Skinner (2011) Trust in Human Resource Management, and he has had conference papers accepted at FINT, EAWOP ENESER, and the International Congress on Assessment Center Methods.

Prof. Rosalind H. Searle holds the chair in HRM and Organisational Psychology at the Adam Smith Business School at the University of Glasgow. She is a Chartered Occupational Psychologist and a Fellow of the British Psychological Society (BPS). She has a PhD from Aston University. Her research focuses on organisational trust and HRM, trust and controls, change and counterproductive work behaviours. Her previous academic positions include Coventry University where she co-founded the Centre for Trust Peace and Social relations, and the Open University and Aston University. She is co-editor for the Routledge Companion to Trust (2018) and serves on editorial boards of Journal of Management, Journal of Trust Research, and International Perspectives in Psychology: Research, Practice, Consultation (IPP). Her research appears in leading international journals (e.g. Human Resource Management, Journal of Organisational Behavior, International Journal of HRM, and Long Range Planning) and in commissioned research for regulators (e.g. Professional Standards Authority), government (e.g. Welsh Audit, Scottish and English Governments) and private organisations (e.g. energy sector).

ORCID

Volker Patent http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8905-7502

Rosalind H. Searle http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6052-7627