Trust at first sight

Abstract

Interpersonal trust plays a crucial role in social relationships. While previous research has examined the separate effects of non-verbal synchrony (NVS) and reciprocal self-disclosure on interpersonal trust, few studies have explored their combined influence. This experimental study investigated the individual and interactive effects of NVS and reciprocal self-disclosure on interpersonal trust between strangers, using a 2 (NVS: synchrony vs. non-synchrony) x 2 (reciprocal self-disclosure: self-disclosure vs. non-self-disclosure) between-subjects factorial design. Forty-nine dyads (98 individuals) were randomly assigned to one of the four conditions, engaged in a synchrony task followed by a self-disclosure task, and then completed an interpersonal trust questionnaire.

Contrary to the hypotheses, the results indicated that neither NVS, self-disclosure, nor their interaction significantly affected trust levels, suggesting that these factors may not impact interpersonal trust. Potential explanations for the non-significant findings may lie in the manipulation of both NVS and reciprocal self-disclosure. A key observation was a ceiling effect, with trust scores exceeding 6.1 on a 7-point scale across all conditions, possibly obscuring differences between experimental groups. This effect may reflect institution-based trust and/or social categorisation processes. Additionally, the use of a self-report survey instead of a behavioural task to operationalise interpersonal trust may have influenced the results. Future research could implement manipulation checks, consider behavioural assessments of interpersonal trust, and further investigate how institution-based trust and social categorisation processes influence interpersonal trust scores.