Does Technology Trust Substitute Interpersonal Trust? Examining Technology Trust's Influence on Individual Decision-Making

While an increasing number of trust studies examine technological artifacts as trust recipients, there is still a lack of basic understanding of how technology trust relates to traditional trust and its role within the broader nomological net articulated in trust research. This paper suggests that technology trust is distinct from interpersonal trust (i.e., trust in humans) due to the different core characteristics of the trustees. To examine these differences, the authors first develop and validate a measure of technology trust comprised of IT-specific belief sources. Then, they articulate a research model that compares and contrasts technology trust and interpersonal trust. This study provides evidence that technology trust is associated with, yet distinct from, interpersonal trust. The authors found technology trust plays a dual role in the nomological net tied to individual intended behavior - exerting a direct and an indirect influence on a trust outcome. Rather than suggesting that technology trust substitutes for interpersonal trust, the findings suggest that technology trust complements interpersonal trust in affecting purchase intention.