The relative influence of trustor and trustee individual differences on peer assessments of trust

This study extends research on the antecedents of peer trust by examining team member trust relationships over time in order to examine the relative influence of both trustor and trustee individual differences on assessments of trust, as well as the mutual nature of trust. Data from 216 individuals embedded in 71 project teams were collected on three different occasions using multiple sources. Analyses using the group actor-partner interdependence model indicated both trustor and trustee cognitive and noncognitive individual differences including general mental ability, knowledge, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience contributed to being trusted and trusting others. Trust among team members was mutual within, but not across time periods. This study expands our understanding of peer trust by revealing the relative importance of trustor and trustee individual differences.