Trust, trust games and stated trust: Evidence from rural Bangladesh

Levels of trust are measured by asking standard survey questions on trust and by observing behavior in a trust game using a random sample in rural Bangladesh. Follow-up questions and correlations between stated expectations and the amount sent in the trust game reveal that the amount sent is correlated with a general measure of trust. The trust and need motives combined with expectations explains differences in amounts sent, and this highlights the potential importance of motives that cannot be inferred directly from people's behavior and expectations alone.

► Trust is measured by survey questions and trust games in rural Bangladesh
► The results indicate that the amount sent is correlated with a general measure of trust.
► Yet, follow-up questions reveal that non-conventional motives are important for both trust and trustworthiness.
► These include the fear of getting punished, either in this life or afterwards, for being too selfish.
► Future research should continue with, and try to improve, both survey-based and experiment-based approaches to measure trust.