Why are policy actors so distrustful of each other, and how? Cognitive, behavioral, and endogenous relational sources of perceived distrust in governance networks.

The article focuses on understanding why policy actors in adversarial governance networks harbor distrust toward each other and how these distrusting relationships develop and escalate. Topics include cognitive sources of distrust such as conflicting policy beliefs, behavioral sources such as competition and lack of collaboration, and endogenous relational dynamics including negative reciprocity and indirect ties that reinforce distrust within governance networks.