Measuring trust

We combine two experiments and a survey to measure trust and trustworthines s-two key components of social capital. Standard attitudinal survey questio ns about trust predict trustworthy behavior in our experiments much better than they predict trusting behavior. Trusting behavior in the experiments i s predicted by past trusting behavior outside of the experiments. When indi viduals are closer socially, both trust and trustworthiness rise. Trustwort hiness declines when partners are of different races or nationalities. High status individuals are able to elicit more trustworthiness in others.