The Elements of Online Trust CHI '01 Extended Abstracts On Human Factors in

Works[lops CHI 2001 • 31 MARCH - 5 APRIL
The Elements of Online Trust

Cynthia L. Corritore Susan Wiedenbeck Beverly Kracher
Info. Sys. & T e c h n o l o g y Info. Sci. & T e c h n o l o g y Marketing & Management
College of Business Drexel University College of Business
Creighton University Philidelphia, P A 1 9 1 0 4 Creighton University
Omaha, NE 68178 USA 215 895 2 4 5 0 Omaha, NE 68178 USA
402 280 5512 susan.wiedenbeck @cis.drexel.edu 402 280 2061
cindy@creighton.edu bkracher @ creighton.edu
Keywords
trust, online trust, ecommerce, health information systems
INTRODUCTION Trust is a long-studied concept in many fields. However,

The increasing success and popularity of the Internet makes there is no agreement even on basic definitions (Husted,
this a critical time to examine elements that can cause 1998). This is due, in part, to the fact that trust is likely a
online user interactions to be a success or a dismal failure. multi-dimensional concept (Husted, 1998). Also, it tends to
One of the most important of these elements, trust, has been be studied within specific fields but not across fields, and
identified as critical in ensuring a successful online different fields focus on different parts of the concept. For
interaction (Cheskin, 2000; Egger, 2000; Stratford, 2000). example, psychologists tend to study trust in an
Human trust is essential for effective online experiences in interpersonal context (Deutsch, 1960). Public
part because these systems eliminate or minimize face-to- administration looks at people's trust in public institutions
face contact. Online interface designers are also interested (Lewis & Weigert, 1985). Business researchers tend to
in trust as it relates to their ability to design elements into focus on factors that influence willingness to trust in
their websites that engender trust on the part of their users. commercial relationships, such as supplier size, willingness
They require knowledge about what goes into building an to customize, salesperson expertise, and freqtiency of
online trust relationship with a user which they can use to business contact (Swan, Bowers, Richardson, 1999; Doney
facilitate this process. While the importance of online trust and Cannon, 1997). Trust research in the medical field
is recognized, its study is just beginning. Questions such as focuses on provider-patient relationships (Thorn &
'what exactly is online trust?' and 'What makes a website Campbell, 1997; Mechanic, 1998). Of course, the question
trustworthy?' are some of the key issues in the study of raised by all of this research is 'how do these factors carry
online trust. We have identified two online contexts upon over into the online arena?' Also, 'how can they be
which to focus during the .workshop. These are: facilitated through the user interface of a website?'
ecornmerce and health care information systems.
In general, a common thread running through most
The dialog about trust must start with examining what we discussions of trust indicates that there must be an element
know about trust in off-line environments, since there is of vulnerability in order for trust to occur. Similarly,
only a limited body of research about online trust. An credibility has been identified as a key factor in the
important first step is the identification of a vocabulary with development of trust (Fogg & Tseng, 1999). Another key
which to talk about online trust, followed by the creation of element is a belief that the target of trust is interested in the
conceptual frameworks for understanding online trust. trustor's welfare and so is motivated to act positively in this
regard (Hawes, Mast, & Swan, 1989). Information about
Trust is an essential concept used by people to decrease past behavior, which supports predictability, is also
complexity (Raab, 1998). Trust reduces complexity and the believed to play a role in trust as it allows future actions to
cost of acquiring information by not requiring the user to be predicted (Doney & Cannon, 1997).
consider every aspect of information. Given the importance A small body of related research exists in the HCI
of online trust, little empirical research on the topic exists. community. This work touches on social aspects of human
We must therefore examine studies of trust in the off-line --computer interaction, but not specifically on trust.
world and then use these concepts to guide our efforts in the Nevertheless, this work may provide insights into the role
online world. of trust in HCI. For example, Nass and others have
identified the applicability of numerous human social-
psychological dynamics to human-computer interaction
(Kim & Moon, 1998; Nass, Steuer, & Tauber, 199,1). Self's
© Copyright on this material is held by
(1999) findings indicate that trust is a key element of
the Author(s).
5o4 Cli12001
CHI 2001 * 31 MARCH - 5 APRIL Workshops
credibility in commercial relationships. Fogg and Tseng 4. Egger, F.N. Towards a model of trust for E-Commerce
(1999) have proposed a model defining how users assess systemdesign.
computer credibility. They identify trust as a key element of http://www.zurick.itb.com/~mrslchi2OOOIcontributions/egge
computer credibility. While they do not provide any r.html. Accessed 9/8/2000.
empirical support of the model, they do identify the 5. Fogg, B.J. and Tseng, H. The elements of computer
importance of the concept in modern society. credibility. In Proceedings ofCH199. ACM: New York,
WORKSHOP GOALS 1999, 80-86.
6. Hawes, J.M., Mast, K.E., and Swan, J.E. Trust earning
The dominant goal of the workshop is to begin a discussion perceptions of sellers and buyers. Journal of Personal
of online trust. In this workshop, we begin this process by Selling & Sales Management 9, (1989), 1-8.
identifying and defining key terms and concepts related to 7. Husted, B. (1998). The ethical limits of trust in business
trust in the context of online systems. This common relations. Business Ethics Quarterly 8, 2(1998), 233-248.
vocabulary can then be used to talk about the topic. Next 8. Kim, J. and Moon, J.Y. (1998) Designing towards
we will briefly synthesize the existing literature on trust. emotional usability in customer interfaces-trustworthiness
Then the focus will move on to identify new conceptual of cyber-banking system interfaces. Interacting With
frameworks for understanding trust in online systems. Last, Computers 10, (1998), 1-29.
we plan to identify approaches for further addressing online 9. Lewis, D. and Weigert, A. Trust as a social reality.
trust in research and website design. To summarize, this Social Forces 63, 4(1985), 967-985.
workshop will address four issues: 10. Mechanic, D. The functions and limitations of trust in
1. identification and definition of key terms and concepts the provision of medical care. Journal of Health Politics,
related to online trust. Policy, and Law 23, 4(1998), 661-686.
2. review and synthesize existing literature on online trust 11. Nass, C., Steuer, J., Henriksen, L., and Dryer, D.C.
3. development of new conceptual frameworks for Machines, social attributions and ethopoeia: Performance
viewing online trust assessments of computers subsequent to 'self-' or 'other'
4. identify potential areas for future online trust research evaluations. International Journal of Human-Computer
and design trials Studies 40, 3(1994), 543-559.
12. Raab, C. Ends and Means. Journal of the University of
We have identified some preliminary areas for future work, Aberdeen Centrefor Philosopy Technology and Society 3,
which we expect to be expanded during the workshop. They 1(1998), http://www.abdn.ac.uk/cpts/rab98.htrn. Accessed
include: 5/20/2000.
1. What do users evaluate when ascribing trust to a 13. Self, C.C. Credibility. In M.B. Salwen and D.W.
website? Stacks (Eds.), An Integrated Approach to Communication
2. What is the process of development of online trust? Theory and Research. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum,
3. How can online trust be measured? 1996, 421-441.
4. How can trust be facilitated in an online system? 14. Stratford, T. eTrust: Building trust on-line. Journal of
Integrated Communications. Northwestern University,
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Works[lops CHI 2001 • 31 MARCH - 5 APRIL

The Elements of Online Trust

INTRODUCTION Trust is a long-studied concept in many fields. However,

anyone, anywhere. 5o5

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