Trust (social sciences)

Trust is the belief in the good character of one party, they are believed to seek to fulfil policies, ethical codes, law and their previous promises.

Society
In sociology (and psychology) it refers to an open relationship between people, or between people and social institutions such as a corporation or government. It is the belief by one person that another's motivations towards them are benevolent and honest, and that the other's actions stem from a relevant level of competence.

Social institutions and communities require mutual trust.

Psychology
In psychology, it is integral to the idea of social influence: it is easier to influence or persuade someone who is trusting. The notion of trust is increasingly adopted to predict acceptance of behaviors by others, institutions (e.g. government agencies) and objects such as machines.

Research has been done on the notion of trust and its social implications; for instance the work of Barbara Misztal attempts to combine all notions of trust together. She points out three basic things that trust does in the lives of people: It makes social life predictable, it creates a sense of community, and it makes it easier for people to work together.

Trust and power intuitively might seem contrasting concepts, but sometimes they overlap; see Stockholm syndrome and charismatic authority.

Improving and developing trust between people is pursued; for instance in relationship counseling and team building. Trust is studied by economists.