Propensity to Trust and Trust Development Among Chinese University Students

This study examined propensity to trust and development of trust of Chinese students studying in some of China’s institutions of higher education. Both quantitative and qualitative methodology were used with data collected from 427 surveys and 32 semi-structured interviews. Findings indicated that male Chinese students studying in China exhibited significantly lower propensity to trust than male Chinese students in U.S. universities. Findings also supported faces of trust previously researched in the United States and the mixed tie relationship within a Chinese educational setting. Differences were apparent in how male and female participants viewed trust.