Assessments of trust in intimate relationships and the self-perception process

J Soc Psychol. 1998 Apr;138(2):217-28. doi: 10.1080/00224549809600373.

Abstract

Assessments of trust in intimate relationships are often based on perceptions of a partner's behaviors; however, people's own actions, increased self-awareness, and individual differences (e.g., exchange or communal orientation) may also affect their trust in their partners. Communally or exchange-oriented members of heterosexual dating couples, students in a U.S. university, displayed either trusting or irrelevant behaviors under conditions of increased self-awareness. They then completed measures of interpersonal trust. The participants' trusting behaviors significantly determined their level of trust; heightened self-awareness and a communal orientation further enhanced the participants' trust in their partners.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Attitude*
  • Courtship*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interpersonal Relations*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Self Concept*
  • Students / psychology*
  • Universities