Exploring the Unique and Shared Variance of Propensity to Trust and Suspicion Propensity

Across two studies, we explored the relationship of propensity to trust - a general willingness to trust others (Mayer, Davis, & Schoorman, 1995) - and suspicion propensity - a disposition toward being suspicious (Calhoun et al., 2017) - to determine if the constructs are distinct and account for unique variance in relevant outcomes. We used exploratory structural equation modeling to investigate whether propensity to trust and suspicion propensity are separate constructs. Then, we investigated the unique predictive validity of each trait on criteria of interest. We found some evidence that propensity to trust and suspicion propensity are unique, yet related, constructs with unique predictive validity. Theoretical and practical implications, as well as limitations, of this research are discussed.