The majority of trust research has focused on the benefits trust can have for individual actors, institutions, and organizations. This “optimistic bias” is particularly evident in work focused on institutional trust, where concepts such as procedural justice, shared values, and moral responsibility have gained prominence. But trust in institutions may not be exclusively good. We reveal implications for the “dark side” of institutional trust by reviewing relevant theories and empirical research that can contribute to a more holistic understanding. We frame our discussion by suggesting there may be a “Goldilocks principle” of institutional trust, where trust that is too low (typically the focus) or too high (not usually considered by trust researchers) may be problematic. The chapter focuses on the issue of too-high trust and processes through which such too-high trust might emerge. Specifically, excessive trust might result from external, internal, and intersecting external-internal processes. External processes refer to the actions institutions take that affect public trust, while internal processes refer to intrapersonal factors affecting a trustor’s level of trust. We describe how the beneficial psychological and behavioral outcomes of trust can be mitigated or circumvented through these processes and highlight the implications of a “darkest” side of trust when they intersect. We draw upon research on organizations and legal, governmental, and political systems to demonstrate the dark side of trust in different contexts. The conclusion outlines directions for future research and encourages researchers to consider the ethical nuances of studying how to increase institutional trust.

Comic books and superhero films are often regarded as mere fiction, but oftentimes these mediums are used within the classroom in order to understand complicated topics in history such as war. But, this thesis looks at expanding this viewpoint to look at how comic books and their coinciding films, specifically Marvel's X-Men and Civil War, act as allegories to real world politics and social justice issues. This thesis examines the importance of the allegories found within comic books and their accompanying films, and how the allegories found in these works of literature and film are relevant in today's changing world. Specifically, this thesis will look towards explaining global politics found within these sources through its examination of social justice issues and international politics, and what this teaches us about our past, present, and even the future political realm.

Superman has been a cultural figure in America for 85 years- blasting out from the comic book page and into our collective consciousness. Yet, does the character still hold relevancy? Do people care about Superman, and know why he is important to our country? To understand where he stands now as a cultural figure, Superman's reciprocal history with America is defined, and with that definition comes highs and lows for the character that ultimately solidify his place as an aspirational figure of hope today.

"The Silver Age of American Comics, Then and Now" is an exploration of a certain period in the history of American comics. It began with the creation of the Comics Code Authority in 1954, which censored comics to stamp out any content that might incite children to delinquency. Even today, though the era has passed and the Code is defunct, its effects continue to influence how the general public understands comics. Why was censorship deemed necessary? What stories were created in response to the new paradigm? Why did it go away? What does it even matter now? All these questions and more are explored herein.