Trust in Small Military Teams

Despite relevance for military operations, little work has examined trust in military research and theory. This work first reviews the literature on the development of interpersonal trust, where two distinct forms of trust are considered. Person-based trust develops over time, and is based on direct experience with another person [Rempel, Holmes, and Zanna, 1985]. Category-based trust emerges in the absence of direct experience and contact with others, and is based on assumptions about the category to which others belong [Kramer, 1999]. Secondly, the relevance of both forms of trust to the development of trust in small military teams is explored. The effects of trust on team processes and performance are also considered. Existing research and theory suggests that trust affects communication processes, the monitoring of other team members, and also impacts on the ability of teams to work cooperatively. With increasing technological demands in the military, trust in automation and relevant research and theory are also considered. The paper concludes with a discussion of an ongoing research program that is examining trust among members of small military teams.