Trust in Typical and High-Reliability Contexts: Building and Reacting to Trust among Firefighters

Abstract

We develop theory that distinguishes trust among employees in typical task contexts (marked by low levels of situational unpredictability and danger) from trust in “high-reliability” task contexts (those marked by high levels of situational unpredictability and danger). A study of firefighters showed that trust in high-reliability task contexts was based on coworkers' integrity, whereas trust in typical task contexts was also based on benevolence and identification. Trust in high-reliability contexts predicted physical symptoms, whereas trust in typical contexts predicted withdrawal. Job demands moderated linkages with performance: trust in high-reliability task contexts was a more positive predictor of performance when unpredictable and dangerous calls were more frequent.