Trusting in the Online World: From Theoretical Studies to the Application of the Socio-Cognitive Model

The increasing proliferation of digital media has led more and more scholars to question, among other things, the relationships that take shape and develop in the online world. Literature has widely explored both the reasons that drive people to interact online (e.g., the need for connection) and the ways in which these relationships occur (e.g., aggressive or prosocial behaviors). Less attention, however, has been directed toward the role that trust plays in such relationships. In studying the complexity of digital dynamics and the bonds formed through screen mediation, a spontaneous question arises: "Is trusting in the online world possible?" Trust, a fundamental pillar in human relationships, takes on new facets in the virtual environment, where physicality dissolves, giving way to digital identities and distant connections. This chapter aims to highlight the important role that trust plays in the digital environment by providing a review of the main studies that have focused on this topic and the different perspectives from which it has been approached. It also aims to shed light on the potential of the socio-cognitive theoretical model of trust (Falcone & Castelfranchi, 2001; Castelfranchi & Falcone, 2010) for understanding the determinants of trust in online interpersonal relationships, presenting a series of studies - ranging from remote psychotherapy to online dating - in which the model has been applied