DEFINITION:
The term “trust,” in the context of personality psychology, refers to the personality trait or propensity of believing that other people are generally trustworthy.
That is to say that, generally speaking, they are honest, act in good faith, and have the best interests of their organizations at heart, as well as those of their customers, suppliers, and others with whom they have business dealings.
ETYMOLOGY:
Whiletrust itself has been understood from time immaterial to be a highly significant personality trait, the currency of the term “trust” in the personality psychology literature may be said to date from the work of the German-born child psychologist of Danish ancestry, Erik H. Erikson (1902–1994). The concept figures prominently in his book Childhood and Society, published ibn 1950.
The English noun “trust” is attested from the thirteenth century. It probably derives, via Middle English, from the Old Norse noun traust, meaning “trust,” which is also akin to the Old English adjective trēowe, meaning “faithful”—which gave rise to the modern adjective “true.”
DISCUSSION:
“Trust” is one of the most-basic of all personality traits.
In personality psychology, considered generally—particularly in Erik Erikson’s “developmental model” of the psyche—so-called “existential trust” is absolutely fundamental to a healthy, functioning, adult personality.
In the workplace, considered more narrowly, individuals who score high for “trust” are valuable for their ability to minimize friction in their interactions with many different types of people.
All of this does not mean that individuals high in “trust” are naive. On the contrary, “trust” is closely connected to the virtue of “prudence,” meaning “trust” involves being a good judge of character.
It is just that individuals high in “trust” tend to err on the side of believing what others say and having faith they will act for the best.
This underlying optimism and readiness to be supportive of others is what makes “trust” such an advantageous trait for the smooth operation of a business firm.