While designing for trust might seem an intimidating prospect, there is a helpful framework in looking at the pillars of trust formation. Applying these principles can guide your design process and lead to more trusting player interactions.
- Seize opportunities to enhance proximity, highlight similarity, encourage reciprocity, and build familiarity.
- Design to increase the likelihood of constructive interactions, knowing that goodwill engenders trust.
- Design toward a goal of making interactions seem easy and comfortable.
Why trust?
Trust is the foundation of a cohesive, thriving community. It creates a sense of individual safety and belonging while encouraging cooperation and constructive engagement among players. This sense of trust then contributes to a safe and welcoming environment that fosters enjoyment, loyalty, and ultimately, the success of the game itself.
Introduction to Trust in Gaming
Trust is the invisible glue that holds thriving communities together.
Players and communities struggle without trust
Many multiplayer games thrust complete strangers together, asking them to cooperate without a baseline of trust. Low trust means we are more inclined to assume the worst and less likely to make the effort to interact constructively. This leads to naturally defensive behaviors that are counter-productive to community and social connection.
This is a key reason behind much of the antagonism we see today in gaming. When trust is systemically low, defensive behaviors become ingrained, leading to a corrosive cycle of negativity, antagonism, and conflict, and ultimately establishing a haven for harassment and more severe forms of abuse.
We can reduce many of the struggles that arise from low-trust dynamics, however, by incorporating trust as a core design principle. In doing so, we create experiences more likely to nurture a virtuous cycle of prosocial mindsets and interactions.
The pillars of trust: Building blocks
Even with the best intentions to create a friendly and welcoming space, if we neglect to address the underlying issues of low trust, we may subsequently struggle to gain traction when designing for things like cooperation, collaboration, and overall player accord.
While fostering trust between strangers might seem like a daunting task, as designers we can leverage four foundational building blocks to help in cultivating healthful interactions: proximity, familiarity, similarity, and reciprocity.
Proximity
Trust can be seeded through physical or virtual closeness. Repeated encounters can help develop and deepen a sense of familiarity and security, while opening the door for further trust building.
Classmates can build trust through spending time in the same environment, for example, while neighbors often develop trust due to frequent interactions. In gaming, those who play together or participate in the same in-game events will naturally have closer proximity.
Designers can look for thoughtful ways to connect and reconnect players to help develop a sense of closeness.
Familiarity
We are naturally drawn to the familiar, a phenomenon known as the “Mere Exposure Effect.” While often catalyzed by proximity, familiarity itself reduces uncertainty, helping build trust as we gravitate toward those we find understandable and consistent. The better we know someone, the easier it is to anticipate their actions and intentions.
In gaming, familiarity may develop organically through repeated interactions. Just as regularly seeing the same person at your local coffee haunt can spark a sense of familiarity, so can encountering the same player in a game. Even without prior encounters, familiarity can be cued through role-based expectations — we know what to expect from a healer or a tank, for instance.
Designers can leverage this by creating systems that help players recognize one another and highlight shared positive experiences. Carefully consider the potential impact of what you reveal, prioritizing player safety and consent. Be mindful of how you highlight successes and failures, for instance, as these can inadvertently trigger negative behaviors like blame-shifting.
Similarity
When we can relate to another person’s experiences and perspectives, we experience fewer misunderstandings, easier communication, and greater warmth. Recognizing ourselves and our values in others also naturally creates a feeling of safety and belonging.
In gaming, players may naturally be drawn to those with whom they share strategy, play style, goals, or personal background.
Designers can promote compatibility by allowing players to find healthy sources of connection including common interests and shared accomplishments.
Similarity can also lead to the formation of exclusive cliques. By fostering an environment where players are encouraged to embrace diversity and learn from different perspectives, you can mitigate the risks of in-group / out-group bias and create a more inclusive and welcoming community.
Reciprocity
Reciprocity, the social norm of responding in kind, taps into our deep-seated need for connection. As social beings, we crave acknowledgment for our efforts to engage with others, thriving on positive responses and feeling hurt by their absence. Whether intentional or not, a lack of reciprocation can feel like a pointed rejection, highlighting our vulnerability in social interaction.
In gaming, reciprocity manifests in many way, from shared time or resources to simple gestures like greetings or high fives. Critically, these interactions are not merely transactional — they serve as a barometer for social acceptance and belonging. Players observe the types of exchanges that are valued and reciprocated within the community, using them to gauge their own place and belonging.
In Sea of Thieves, players rely on each other to crew ships, navigate, and complete quests, fostering a strong sense of teamwork and reciprocity. Image courtesy of TIGG.
Seemingly gratuitous features can allow for emergent reciprocal moments that contribute to the overall success of the player community, such as in games like Fortnite, playing music in Sea of Thieves, or even sitting down together in Destiny. Image courtesy of @Desti_Nation7
Designers can nurture this dynamic by incorporating interactive mechanics that facilitate both outreach and appreciation. Consider emotes like dances and high fives, systems that encourage and highlight generosity, or just general features that increase the success of give-and-take interactions.
The quality of the interaction between players is key to the experience we are trying to build.
Trust is a multifaceted dynamic
While the previously mentioned building blocks (proximity, familiarity, similarity, and reciprocity) provide a solid foundation for understanding trust, it’s important to recognize that trust is a complex and dynamic phenomenon influenced by numerous factors. Here are some additional considerations to keep in mind when designing for trust among players:
- Competence — Demonstrating knowledge, skills, and ability in relevant areas can significantly increase trust. People are more likely to trust those they perceive as competent.
- Reliability — Consistently following through on commitments and promises is crucial for building trust. Being dependable and reliable shows that you value the relationship and take your responsibilities seriously.
- Benevolence — Showing genuine care and concern for another person’s well-being helps to build trust. People are more likely to trust those who they believe have their best interests at heart.
- Integrity — Acting ethically and honestly is essential for establishing trust. People value individuals (and studios) who adhere to their principles and do what they say they will do.
- Transparency — Open communication fosters trust. When people feel they have access to information and are not being deceived, they are more likely to trust.
- Vulnerability — Sharing personal information and being open about your own weaknesses can actually build trust, as it demonstrates a willingness to be authentic and take risks in the relationship.
- Authority — A double-edged sword, authority can automatically trigger trust or distrust depending on your history, philosophy, deference, and belief in the appropriateness of that held authority.
When designing for trust, it’s crucial to consider the broader impact of your choices. Simply amplifying individual trust factors can have unintended consequences and create imbalances within the community. For example, highlighting player achievements to showcase competence might inadvertently create an environment where those who haven’t achieved as much feel inadequate or become targets for blame.
Such dynamics can undermine the overall health of the community by fostering insecurity and resentment. A holistic design approach requires carefully balancing the different facets of trust to create a supportive and inclusive environment for all players.
Delve into design techniques that can help players overcome skepticism and build connections.
Important: If your game might attract young audiences, consult with child-safety experts. They will guide you in creating a safe and appropriate experience and ensure compliance with best practices and regulations.
Ultimately, trust is an ongoing process that requires continuous effort and attention. By understanding the various factors that contribute to trust and incorporating them into your design and community management practices, you can create a more positive and thriving gaming environment.
When creating shared spaces, we have a duty of care to prioritize the safety and well-being of players.
Now what?
See related content below for more!
References
- Algoe, S. B. et al. (2008). Beyond reciprocity: Gratitude and relationships in everyday life.
- Borgatti, S. P. et al. (2013). Analyzing Social Networks.
- Byrne, D. E. (1971). The Attraction Paradigm.
- Gouldner, A. (1960). The norm of reciprocity: A preliminary statement.
- Nilsson, M. (2018). Proximity and the trust formation process.
- Reber, R. et al. (2004). Processing fluency and aesthetic pleasure: Is beauty in the perceiver’s processing experience?
- Williams, L. A. & Bartlett, M. Y. (2011). Warm thanks: Gratitude expression facilitates social affiliation in new relationships via perceived warmth.
- Zajonc, R.B. (1968). Attitudinal effects of mere exposure.
