Definition
Trust is the willingness to be vulnerable to another’s actions based on positive expectations. It has neural, hormonal, developmental, and relational dimensions.
Why it matters
Trust shapes everything from clinical outcomes to civic life. Building it and repairing it are legitimate skills, not personality lotteries.
The Science
Oxytocin has been proposed as a “trust hormone,” though the popular narrative substantially exceeds the evidence. Trust is context-, culture-, and history-dependent. Interpersonal repair after breach is central to trust’s recovery.
The NSI Perspective
NSI treats trust as a nervous-system state built by predictability and repair — not by oxytocin sprays.
Clinical Implications
Trust-building in therapy is not decoration; it is the mechanism.
Practical Application
Trust is built slowly, broken quickly, and repaired through owning ruptures and behaving consistently over time.
References
- 1.Nave G, Camerer C, McCullough M. Does oxytocin increase trust in humans? A critical review of research. Perspect Psychol Sci. 2015;10(6):772–789.