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Identifying personality traits to enhance trust between organisations: an experimental approach

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  • René Fahr

    (Department of Business Administration, University of Cologne and IZA, Albertus-Magnus-Platz, Cologne, Germany)

  • Bernd Irlenbusch

    (Department of Management, London School of Economics and IZA, London, UK)

Abstract

We investigate an experimental representatives' trust game which resembles trust relationships between representatives of organisations. Personality traits of subjects are elicited by a personality questionnaire (Cattell's 16 PF-R) which is well established in personnel psychology. For the first time, personality traits are linked to actually observed behaviour in a trust game. Detailed personality profiles are derived and it is shown that they differ significantly between behavioural types. Individuals with low scores in anxiety turn out to be particularly qualified for enhancing trust between organisations. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Suggested Citation

  • René Fahr & Bernd Irlenbusch, 2008. "Identifying personality traits to enhance trust between organisations: an experimental approach," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(6), pages 469-487.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:mgtdec:v:29:y:2008:i:6:p:469-487
    DOI: 10.1002/mde.1415
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    Cited by:

    1. David Gill & Victoria Prowse, 2016. "Cognitive Ability, Character Skills, and Learning to Play Equilibrium: A Level-k Analysis," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 124(6), pages 1619-1676.
    2. Gerald E. Ezirim & Peter O. Mbah & Ejikeme J. Nwagwu & Ikechukwu Charles Eze & George C. Nche & JohnBosco C. Chukwuorji, 2021. "Trust and Trustworthiness in a Sub-Saharan African Sample: Contributions of Personality and Religiosity," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 153(3), pages 1087-1107, February.
    3. Iida Yoshio & Schwieren Christiane, 2016. "Contributing for Myself, but Free riding for My Group?," German Economic Review, De Gruyter, vol. 17(1), pages 36-47, February.
    4. MUEHLFELD, Katrin & VAN DOORN, Jenny & VAN WITTELOOSTUIJN, Arjen, 2011. "The effects of personality composition and decision-making processes on change preferences of self-managing teams," ACED Working Papers 2011009, University of Antwerp, Faculty of Business and Economics.
    5. Müller, Julia & Schwieren, Christiane, 2017. "Using Personality Questionnaires in Experiments -- Limits and Potentials," MPRA Paper 78132, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Lenton, Pamela & Mosley, Paul, 2011. "Incentivising trust," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 32(5), pages 890-897.
    7. Julia Müller & Christiane Schwieren, 2020. "Big Five personality factors in the Trust Game," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 90(1), pages 37-55, February.
    8. Sabater-Grande, Gerardo & García-Gallego, Aurora & Georgantzís, Nikolaos & Herranz-Zarzoso, Noemí, 2022. "The effects of personality, risk and other-regarding attitudes on trust and reciprocity," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    9. Julia Muller & Christiane Schwieren, 2012. "What can the Big Five Personality Factors contribute to explain Small-Scale Economic Behavior?," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 12-028/1, Tinbergen Institute.

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