Psychologists Off the Clock 434. How Trust Works with Peter H. Kim
Nov 19, 2025
Peter H. Kim, a professor at USC Marshall School of Business, dives deep into the intricacies of trust based on his two decades of research. He reveals why trust is vital despite vulnerability, distinguishing between true trust and mere appearances of trustworthiness. Kim outlines how trust violations can stem from competence or integrity issues and discusses the significance of effective apologies. He emphasizes the importance of exploring context in trust breaches and highlights the role of shared values in rebuilding connections.
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Two Core Dimensions Drive Trust
- Trust judgments rest mainly on competence and integrity, with benevolence highly correlated with integrity.
- We weigh positive and negative information asymmetrically across these two dimensions.
Why Some Violations Never Fade
- Competence violations are forgiven more readily because positive signals later are seen as diagnostic.
- Integrity violations stick: a single negative act outweighs later positive signals.
Match Responses To Violation Type
- Use apologies wisely: they help rebuild competence-based trust but often backfire for integrity breaches.
- Match your response to whether the violation reads as incompetence or an integrity failure.
