ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to extend an established model of trust to include cultural factors that guide hypotheses about trust development in an international context. A scenario is used to illustrate how specific cultural components can influence trust building, in a situation where a US serviceperson is trying to gain the trust of local leaders. A bias is a preference toward a particular perspective or ideology that interferes with the ability to be impartial and objective. Conflict/instability may moderate the relationship between an individual's cognitions and feelings about a trustee and his/her ability or willingness to extend trust. Mission success is no longer based on kinetic forces alone, but also on building trust for negotiating with and gaining cooperating from the local populace. A critical defense will be to employ the military with the necessary cross-cultural competence, along with regional and language proficiency to accelerate the mission objectives.
