Building and Rebuilding Trust: Why Perspective Taking Matters

Abstract

[Excerpt] There is growing interest surrounding the function of perspective taking in social interactions and organizational life. In this chapter, I examine the role of perspective taking in trust building and trust repair. Whereas some researchers focus on the ability of perspective taking to elicit sympathy, concern, and cooperative behavior (Batson, Turk, Shaw, & Klein, 1995; Parker, Atkins, & Axtell, 2008; Parker & Axtell, 2001), others focus on the strategic impact of perspective taking (Epley, Caruso, & Bazerman, 2006; Galinsky, Maddux, Gilin & White, 2008; Galinsky & Mussweiler, 2001). I build on both streams of research by examining work that connects perspective taking to trustworthy, cooperative behavior and by delineating how the proactive (or more strategic) aspects of perspective taking can generate and repair trust.Williams3_Building_and_Rebuilding_Trust.pdf: 859 downloads, before Oct. 1, 2020