Although research has focused on the implications of trusting
others, little is known regarding how being trustworthy might influence one's own
performance. In this article, the relationship between being perceived as
trustworthy by one's coworkers and individual performance is examined. Exchange
theory is used to consider the implications of the different factors of
trustworthiness (capability, integrity, and benevolence) and how these factors
might interact to predict performance. Results of a field study (Study 1) revealed
that coworkers' perceptions of an individual's capability and integrity interacted
to predict his or her performance. A laboratory study (Study 2) provided further
insight into the exchange mechanism underlying this relationship.
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