Social Uncertainty and Collective Paranoia in Knowledge Communities: Thinking and Acting in the Shadow of Doubt

Abstract

(from the chapter) Conceptualizes knowledge communities as posing a trust dilemma for individual decision makers and argues that one of the factors that exacerbates judgement and choice in trust dilemmas is uncertainty about others' motives, intentions, and behavior. While presenting a framework for thinking about how individuals cope with such uncertainty, it is hypothesized that certain basic social cognitive processes, such as rumination about others' intentions and motives or situationally induced self-consciousness, can contribute to the development of exaggerated judgements of distrust and suspicion in the trust dilemma situation. Conclusions indicate that self-consciousness may be a natural response to situations in which threat or danger is perceived to be present, even though the nature and magnitude of the threat remains uncertain. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2002 APA, all rights reserved)