Trust Theory

Author: Zheng Yefu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-01
Features: This book is a theoretical monograph on understanding sociological research, covering topics such as human nature, the evolution of cooperation, rationality and custom, trust's role in simplifying complexity, secret societies, money and trust, the imperial examination system and academic degrees, peer review and science, etc. It is suitable for sociological researchers as a reference and learning material. The book traditionally begins with definitions. After tracing the Chinese and English etymologies of "trust" and "," their meanings in The Analects, the Bible, the Quran, colloquial expressions, and the concept of trust in the works of theorists, the author presents his own definition of trust. This is the first chapter. The reason for discussing human nature in the second chapter is that it is believed to deeply influence trust. Trust and cooperation are intertwined, hence the third chapter discusses the evolution of cooperation. The fourth chapter critiques the rational choice theory of neoclassical economics from both the perspective of human behavioral motivations and the choice of means. Trust initially emerged in new tribes, in territories. Why is territory a necessary survival strategy for humans? What is the function of boundaries? Why, in the biological world, do almost only humans engage in severe territorial disputes? These are the questions discussed in the fifth chapter. The sixth chapter is closely related to the chapters before and after it. Its relationship with the previous chapter is that it shifts from the dimension of space (territory) to time. The seventh chapter discusses the social function of trust, which is to provide order for society. The eighth chapter compares the differences in folk organizational forms during the early urbanization processes in the East and West. The ninth chapter discusses trust in secret societies. The tenth chapter discusses money from the perspective of trust, exploring the relationship between money and universalist trust, money lending, and risks in the monetary system. The eleventh and twelfth chapters discuss the second type of systemic trust—the expert system. The construction of the trust theory in this book is roughly as described above. The thirteenth chapter moves from theory back to reality.