Trust evaluation through relationship analysis

Current mechanisms for evaluating the trustworthiness of an agent within an electronic marketplace depend either on using a history of interactions or on recommendations from other agents. In the first case, these requirements limit what an agent with no prior interaction history can do. In the second case, they transform the problem into one of trusting the recommending agent. However, these mechanisms do not consider the relationships between agents that arise through interactions (such as buying or selling) or through overarching organisational structures (such as hierarchical or flat), which can also aid in evaluating trustworthiness. In response, this paper outlines a method that enables agents to evaluate the trustworthiness of their counterparts, based solely on an analysis of such relationships. Specifically, relationships are identified using a generic technique in conjunction with a basic model for agentbased marketplaces. They are then interpreted through a trust model ...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2005
• Where: ATAL
• Authors: Ronald Ashri, Sarvapali D. Ramchurn, Jordi Sabater, Michael Luck, Nicholas R. Jennings
• Keywords: ATAL 2005, Electronic Marketplace Depend, Overarching Organisational Structures, Prior Interaction History