Whom in Our Network Do We Trust (and How Do We Trust Them)?: Cognition- and Affect-Based Trust in Managers' Professional Networks

This study examines the factors that influence the type and amount of trust managers have in members of their professional networks. Results indicate that affect-based trust is high in alters who are densely embedded in ego's network, provide social support, and demographically similar to ego. Cognition-based trust is higher in those with whom ego engages in instrumental exchange, and is unaffected by embeddedness or demographics. The importance of distinguishing the types of trust is particularly evident for alters who outrank ego, and provide ego with economic resources: These alters are the object of higher cognition-based trust but lower affect-based trust.