A Mental Model Based Framework of Trust

Handling trust is a core requirement of effective interaction between people and AI agents. Thus, any decision-making framework designed to work with people must be able to estimate human trust. In this paper, we propose a mental model-based framework of trust that captures multidimensional aspects of trust and can be used to infer human trust. This framework can also be used as a foundation for any trust-aware decision-making framework. Through our mental model-based framework of trust, we propose a formal framework that captures intuitions about trust present in extant literature. We show how our framework captures various dimensions of trust perception and then use the framework to define trust evolution, human reliance, and decision-making. Additionally, we also propose a formalization of the appropriate level of trust in the agent. Using human subject studies, we evaluate if (1) changes in trust can be achieved by adjusting human beliefs about the agent according to predictions made by our mental model framework and (2) adjustments in human belief lead to corresponding modifications in trust perceptions; performance, process, and purpose, by controlling different aspects of the model.