Review of Behavioral Economics > Vol 10 > Issue 4

Learning to Trust: Does Trust Change Over Time in a Collaborative Project-Based Learning Environment?

Natalia V. Czap, Department of Social Sciences (Economics) and BEEP Lab, University of Michigan-Dearborn, USA, nczap@umich.edu , Hans Czap, Department of Social Sciences (Economics) and BEEP Lab, University of Michigan-Dearborn, USA, Ilir Miteza, Department of Social Sciences (Economics), University of Michigan-Dearborn, USA
 
Suggested Citation
Natalia V. Czap, Hans Czap and Ilir Miteza (2023), "Learning to Trust: Does Trust Change Over Time in a Collaborative Project-Based Learning Environment?", Review of Behavioral Economics: Vol. 10: No. 4, pp 263-285. http://dx.doi.org/10.1561/105.00000175

Publication Date: 21 Nov 2023
© 2023 N. V. Czap, H. Czap and I. Miteza
 
Subjects
Behavioral economics,  Experimental economics
 
Keywords
JEL Codes: D9, D91, A2, D01
Trust gamelongitudinal experimentproject-based learningPBL
 

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In this article:
1. Introduction 
2. Literature Review and Hypotheses 
3. Experimental Design and Procedures 
4. Experimental Results 
5. Conclusion and Implications 
References 

Abstract

In this article we investigate whether engagement through collaborative project-based learning (PBL) can boost trusting behavior. We experimentally tested if working in teams on a PBL project during a 15-week semester leads to developing a higher level of trust as compared to working on class assignments individually. We found that trusting behavior in the trust game, on average, is stable and does not change significantly over time. We also found heterogeneity of the behavioral response with the change in trusting behavior depending on starting levels. Those starting with higher trust levels stay the course, while those with lower initial trust levels tend to build up trust regardless of class format. But it is only for learners beginning the term with moderate trust levels that PBL instruction boosts trusting behavior compared to non-PBL classes. These results underscore the complexity of trusting behavior and the importance of accounting for heterogeneity when designing interventions. Understanding how learning affects trust may be useful for designing teaching approaches that bolster prosocial behavior and cultivate social capital for less divided societies.

DOI:10.1561/105.00000175