Table 1 Conceptual and operational...

Table 1

Conceptual and operational definitions for patterns of trust and reciprocity in ICT-mediated social exchange

Pattern	Conceptual definition	Operational definition
Trust	“The willingness of a party to be vulnerable to the actions of another party based on the expectation that the other will perform a particular action important to the trustor, irrespective of the ability to monitor or control that other party” (Mayer et al., 1995, p. 712)	Trustworthiness: building trust based on the trustee’s perceived benevolence, ability and integrity The route: building trust via the peripheral, central and habitual routes
Reciprocity	“Pattern of mutually contingent exchange of gratifications” (Gouldner, 1960, p. 161)	Reciprocal interaction (social bonding): verbal and nonverbal reciprocity, compliments, problem-solving, mimicry, “doing together” Informal reciprocity: personal/impersonal participation, lack of rules and roles, multiple discussion topics, self-disclosure, rich language and speech register, unscheduled, unarranged agenda, interactive Emotional reciprocity: explicit expression of emotions, emotional support and exchange, discussing of emotions Reciprocal services: an exchange of concrete and uncodified information (e.g. seeking help or potential collaboration), indirect reciprocity, “doing favors for others”

Pattern	Conceptual definition	Operational definition
Trust	“The willingness of a party to be vulnerable to the actions of another party based on the expectation that the other will perform a particular action important to the trustor, irrespective of the ability to monitor or control that other party” (Mayer et al., 1995, p. 712)	Trustworthiness: building trust based on the trustee’s perceived benevolence, ability and integrityThe route: building trust via the peripheral, central and habitual routes
Reciprocity	“Pattern of mutually contingent exchange of gratifications” (Gouldner, 1960, p. 161)	Reciprocal interaction (social bonding): verbal and nonverbal reciprocity, compliments, problem-solving, mimicry, “doing together”Informal reciprocity: personal/impersonal participation, lack of rules and roles, multiple discussion topics, self-disclosure, rich language and speech register, unscheduled, unarranged agenda, interactiveEmotional reciprocity: explicit expression of emotions, emotional support and exchange, discussing of emotionsReciprocal services: an exchange of concrete and uncodified information (e.g. seeking help or potential collaboration), indirect reciprocity, “doing favors for others”