Self-disclosure and trust on Airbnb: a cross-cultural perspective

In contrast to traditional business-to-consumer structures, building and sustaining trust is more challenging in online peer-to-peer markets due to complex features of economic exchange and real-life service provision. This study investigated the effect of self-disclosure presented by profile pictures on perceived trust and the intention to book Airbnb accommodation. In an online experiment with two conditions (picture of the host: low self-disclosure vs. high self-disclosure), 145 Dutch and 130 Bulgarian respondents filled out a questionnaire. The results showed that the level of self-disclosure presented by profile pictures did have an indirect effect on booking intention. Moreover, the level of self-disclosure influenced the level of perceived trust, which in turn influenced the intention to book the Airbnb accommodation. No support was found for the assumed moderating effect of cultural background differentiated by uncertainty avoidance.