The Development and Validation of an Interpersonal Distrust Scale

Though many researchers have studied interpersonal trust, its counterpart, distrust, has been largely ignored. The relative dearth of distrust research may be a result of an early assumption that distrust represents an absence of trust. Nevertheless, recent reviews have pointed out that distrust is not the opposite of trust, but rather a distinct construct (e.g., Lewicki, Tomlinson, & Gillespie, Academy of Management Review, 23(3), 438–458, 2006; Lumineau, Journal of Management, 0149206314556656, 2015). We use three studies to empirically demonstrate that distrust and trust are descriptively bipolar but functionally distinct constructs. In Study 1, we generate a distrust scale with methodological rigor, which shows good psychometric properties. In Study 2, we crossvalidate the distrust scale. Discriminant validity of the new scale also demonstrates that the distrust scale is distinct from subscales of trust and another theoretically relevant construct (i.e., distrust propensity), which provides the first empirical evidence that distrust is not redundant with trust. Moreover, we develop a theoretical model of distrust antecedents and outcomes based on social exchange theory and empirically investigate the nomological network of interpersonal distrust in Study 3. Consistent with the hypotheses, interpersonal distrust significantly correlates with the theoretical antecedents and consequences across two samples. Additionally, our findings in Study 3 demonstrate that distrust has significantly different relation strength with other constructs compared to trust, which further supports that distrust and trust are descriptive bipolar but functionally independent constructs.