TRUST DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SUPERVISORS AND SUBORDINATES - EXAMINING THE ROLE OF RACE AND GENDER

This study examined trust differences between supervisor and subordina te dyads that differ in race or gender as well as in dyads that were s imilar. The results of 301 (the sample consisted of 241 whites and 41 blacks, 216 were women and 86 were men) respondents indicated gender a nd race do affect trust. More specifically, the highest level of trust was found between female subordinates reporting to male supervisors. It was also found that whites reporting to whites perceived significan tly less trust than blacks reporting to blacks, but significantly grea ter trust than whites reporting to blacks. The results also indicated that whites reporting to blacks and blacks reporting to whites perceiv e significantly less trust than blacks reporting to blacks. A discussi on of these results is also included.