The Influence of Social Stratification on Trust in Recommender Systems

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of social stratification on trust in recommender systems. Recommender systems have become an essential tool for users to navigate vast amounts of information online, but trust in these systems has become a concern. The focus of this study is to investigate whether social stratification, defined by socioeconomic status, affects trust in recommender systems. We first review the literature on trust in recommender systems and social stratification, highlighting gaps in the current research. We then describe the methodology used in our study, which involves the analysis of valid and consented responses received from 487 participants from different socioeconomic backgrounds, registered in an online survey. This study aimed to investigate the influence of social stratification, specifically income, on trust in recommender systems. Results showed a curvilinear relationship between income and trust in recommender systems, such that moderate income levels were associated with higher levels of trust, while both low- and high-income levels were associated with lower levels of trust. These findings suggest that income plays an important role in shaping users’ trust in recommender systems and highlight the need for future research to examine the complex interplay between social stratification and trust in technology.