Trust in close relationships.

TLDR

The study proposes and tests a theoretical model of interpersonal trust in close relationships, focusing on how attributions about a partner’s motives shape trust. The model identifies three trust dimensions—predictability, dependability, and faith—derived from attributions of intrinsic, instrumental, and extrinsic motives, and is validated through a survey of established couples using a newly developed Trust Scale. Survey results confirm the three distinct trust dimensions, show that intrinsic motives are linked to faith, love, and happiness, reveal gender differences in trust integration, and indicate that individuals view their own motives as more intrinsic than their partners’.

Abstract

A theoretical model describing interpersonal trust in close relationships is presented. Three dimensions of trust are identified, based on the type of attributions drawn about a partner's motives. These dimensions are also characterized by a developmental progression in the relationship. The validity of this theoretical perspective was examined through evidence obtained from a survey of a heterogeneous sample of established couples. An analysis of the Trust Scale in this sample was consistent with the notion that the predictability, dependability, and faith components represent distinct and coherent dimensions. A scale to measure interpersonal motives was also developed. The perception of intrinsic motives in a partner emerged as a dimension, as did instrumental and extrinsic motives. As expected, love and happiness were closely tied to feelings of faith and the attribution of intrinsic motivation to both self and partner. Women appeared to have more integrated, complex views of their relationships than men: All three forms of trust were strongly related and attributions of instrumental motives in their partners seemed to be self-affirming. Finally, there was a tendency for people to view their own motives as less self-centered and more exclusively intrinsic in flavor than their partner's motives.