A Sociological Concept of Client Trust

Abstract

The aim of this article is to theoretically analyse and to define client trust. A concept of client trust is developed that explains why and under what conditions the professional–client relationship – in contrast to other service relationships – involves a certain kind of trust. It is argued that the form of the professional–client relationship and the nature of professional work hold uncertainties for the client that make it impossible to make a fully rational decision whether to consult and cooperate with a professional. Trust is conceptualized, following Simmel, as enabling social action in decision situations where the actor is uncertain about the course of future events and, following Luhmann, as a risky investment. Moreover, it is argued that client trust is impersonal trust given on the basis of general notions generated by such intermediaries as professions and allied institutions. Furthermore, behavioural expectations institutionalized in the professional role and the display of professionality promote client trust in the interaction situation of the consultation. On this basis, the article concludes by defining what questions have to be asked in order to determine whether sociostructural, organizational, and occupational change over the last four decades have had a negative effect on client trust.