# A Value-based Trust Assessment Model for Multi-agent Systems

## TL;DR

This paper proposes a value-based trust assessment model for multi-agent systems that considers shared values and trust behaviors, addressing trust evaluation in unfamiliar situations where past observations are limited.

## Contribution

It introduces a novel approach to trust assessment based on shared values, incorporating trust cautiousness and dependence, filling gaps in traditional observation-based methods.

## Key findings

- The model effectively evaluates trust using shared values.
- It accounts for cautious and bold trust behaviors.
- The approach improves trust assessment in new or unfamiliar scenarios.

## Abstract

An agent's assessment of its trust in another agent is commonly taken to be a measure of the reliability/predictability of the latter's actions. It is based on the trustor's past observations of the behaviour of the trustee and requires no knowledge of the inner-workings of the trustee. However, in situations that are new or unfamiliar, past observations are of little help in assessing trust. In such cases, knowledge about the trustee can help. A particular type of knowledge is that of values - things that are important to the trustor and the trustee. In this paper, based on the premise that the more values two agents share, the more they should trust one another, we propose a simple approach to trust assessment between agents based on values, taking into account if agents trust cautiously or boldly, and if they depend on others in carrying out a task.