Trust Management: A Cooperative Approach Using Game Theory

Abstract

Trust, defined as the willingness to accept risk and vulnerability based upon positive expectations of the intentions or behaviours of another. The qualities or behaviours of one person that create good expectations in another are referred to as trustworthiness. Because of its perceived link to cooperative behaviour, many social scientists regard trust as the backbone of effective social structures. With the advancement in technology, through these online social media people can explore various products, services and facilities. Through these networks the end users want to communicate are usually physically unknown with each other, the evaluation of their trustworthiness is mandatory. Mathematical methods and computational procedures do not easily define trust. Psychological and sociological factors can influence trust. End users are vulnerable to a variety of risks. The need to define trust is expanding as businesses try to establish effective marketing strategies through their social media activities, and as a result, they must obtain consumer trust. Game theory is a theoretical framework for analysing strategic interactions between two or more individuals, in the terminology of game theory, called players. Thus, a conceptual framework for trust evaluation can be designed using a game theory approach that can indicate the conditions under which trustworthy behaviour can be determined.