The Basics of Trust

Trust can be defined as many things considering the impact it has in everyday decisions. Trust is an emotion which takes into account logic and past experiences. Typically we trust those who we can relate with positive experiences and shy away from those who take advantage of our vulnerability. Emotions such as love, friendship, reliability and comfort are often associated with relationships formed throufg trust. But what are the deciding factors in trusting someone? The fundamentals of trust can be narrowed down to predictability, value exchange, reciprocity and exposed vulnerabilities. It is human nature to extrapolate and forecast current goals. Whether a personal goal or a company goal, individuals design plans as to how they can achieve something in the future and prepare for threats. Trust ties into predictability because trust eliminates the threat factor in a friendship. If you trust someone, you are forming a silent commitment to protect their best interest in the future. Value exchange focuses on a barter relationship. Through trust we are able to exchange non material possessions; a child entrusts their parent in exchange for safety and nourishment. Although we do not know specifically what we are receiving from the trusted party, a relationship is a barter and both ends must be providing something. This concept of reciprocity is not always immediate and often we grow impatient when our friends do not contribute something to the relationship. Trust could not exist in a one sided relationship where the element of reciprocity is never fulfilled. In addition, trust leads to vulnerability if we place trust in the wrong hands. People are often reluctant to trust someone because they don't want to be taken advantage of.
Trust is a key element in every relationship and must be exercised carefully. Once invested in the right situation, trust has much more benefits than losses.