Interpersonal trust

The willingness to risk significant communication and creativity with others; accepting the possibility of rejection, pain and uncertainty; being reliant on others and acting from a position of confidence and optimistic expectation.[Advantages]

People in a trusting relationship experience more flexibility as well as commitment to each other and to the task at hand. They are less defensive and more receptive to new and challenging information. They tend to be more search-oriented, self-determining and more capable of interdependent relationships with others.

[Disadvantages]

Extreme forms of trust can become almost pathological gullibility or naivety resulting in suspension, surrender or distortion of judgement. Trusting behaviour is sometimes confused with despairing acceptance, social conformity, innocence, impulsiveness, masochism, blind faith, and gambling.