当代西方经济社会学信任研究的新视野——科尔曼关于信任的研究

A New Perspective on Trust Researches in Contemporary Western Economic Sociology

当代西方新经济社会学家科尔曼独辟蹊径,对“信任”问题展开一种“综合研究”。他认为,交易中的信任行为虽是一种风险行为,但却是一种有目的的理性行为,其目的是获得利益的最大化,因而应“给予信任”。信任还是一种特定的社会资本形式,它基本上是无形的,表现为人与人的关系,它具有不可让渡性、互惠性、可再生性和公共产品性。

Coleman, the contemporary Western economic sociologist, conducted a synthetical research on trust by directly borrowing the theory and method of the rational choice from the new classical economics. To him, trust in business transactions is risky, and rational behavior with a purpose. It aims to maximize interest. Trust is also a special form of social capital in that it is invisihle. In terms of interpersonal relationships, it is un-transferable, reciprocally beneficial, re-productive and public. A study of trust will offer an enlightenment for building up a new trust relationship in China＇s socialist market economy at present.