Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhy Trust MattersExamplesBuilding TrustImpact of MistrustLearning to TrustNext in Psychosocial Development GuideAutonomy vs. Shame and Doubt in Psychosocial Stage 2
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Why Trust Matters
Examples
Building Trust
Impact of Mistrust
Learning to Trust
Next in Psychosocial Development Guide
Close
The trust vs. mistrust stage is the first stage of psychologistErik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development. It begins at birth and lasts until a child is around 18 months to two years old.
According to Erikson, this is the most important period of a child’s life, as it shapes their view of the world as well as their overall personality.
Erikson’s psychosocial development theory hasseven other stagesthat span throughout a person’s lifetime. At each stage, people face conflicts that either result in psychological strengthening or weakening.
Verywell / Nusha Ashjaee
OverviewThis first stage of psychosocial development consists of:Psychosocial Conflict: Trust vs. mistrustMajor Question: “Can I trust the people around me?“Basic Virtue: HopeImportant Event: Feeding
Overview
This first stage of psychosocial development consists of:Psychosocial Conflict: Trust vs. mistrustMajor Question: “Can I trust the people around me?“Basic Virtue: HopeImportant Event: Feeding
This first stage of psychosocial development consists of:
The Importance of Trust
Babies are almost entirely dependent on their caregivers. So, the ways that parents interact with their babies have a profound effect on a child’s health.
Erikson believed that early patterns of trust influence a child’s social and emotional development. If a child successfully develops trust, they will feel safe and secure in the world. According to his theory, a parent essentially shapes their child’s perception and future relationships.
However, it’s important to remember that trust and mistrust exist on a spectrum. People aren’t either completely trusting or completely mistrusting.
The key is that an infant’s trustworthy relationships and interactions outweigh, for the most part, their untrustworthy ones. According to Erikson, this will give them a better sense ofhow to trust themselvesand the world around them.
Erikson’s Trust vs. Mistrust StageChildren who learn to trust caregivers in infancy will be more likely to form trusting relationships with others throughout the course of their lives.
Erikson’s Trust vs. Mistrust Stage
Children who learn to trust caregivers in infancy will be more likely to form trusting relationships with others throughout the course of their lives.
TrustBelieving in caregiversTrusting that the world is safeKnowing that needs will be metMistrustDistrusting caregiversFearing the worldUnsure that needs will be met
TrustBelieving in caregiversTrusting that the world is safeKnowing that needs will be met
Believing in caregivers
Trusting that the world is safe
Knowing that needs will be met
MistrustDistrusting caregiversFearing the worldUnsure that needs will be met
Distrusting caregivers
Fearing the world
Unsure that needs will be met
Trust vs. Mistrust Examples
The following are examples of what buildstrustbetween an infant and caregiver:
An infant learns to depend on their caregivers, and in turn, learns that the world is safe and will take care of their needs.
The following are examples of what buildsmistrustbetween an infant and caregiver:
How To Build Trust
Crying is one of the most common strategies babies use to communicate with their caregivers, and it carries different meanings. Usually, babies cry to let you know that they need one of the following:
Learning to trust the world and those around us is the key focus of this psychosocial stage of development. By responding quickly and appropriately to your infant’s cries, you’re building a foundation of trust.
Consequences of Mistrust
One study done with female twins, both identical and fraternal, concluded that a trusting personality seems to be at least in partgenetic, while a mistrustful or distrustingpersonalityseems to be learned from family and other social influences.
Children and adults with low levels of trust may be more likely to:
Mistrust can cause children to become fearful, confused, andanxious, making it difficult to formhealthy relationships.
Research shows that being raised in an untrustworthy environment may actually make a childmoretrusting of untrustworthy people. Researchers believe this is due to an adaptive mechanism that makes it possible for a child to form anattachment bondto an untrustworthy caregiver.
For instance, studies have found that children who were previously infoster care homeswhere they were mistreated were more likely to display behavior such as sitting in a stranger’s lap or walking off with a stranger, whereas children who weren’t in foster care homes did not display this behavior.
Consequences of Over-Trusting
Interestingly, being overly-trusting is linked with the same negative consequences as being under-trusting.
One study of school-aged children found that those with very high and very low trust levels tended to internalize problems and perceive a lack of acceptance among their peers.
Ultimately, children must experience trust, along with some degree of mistrust, in order to learn to trust in themselves and their relationships as adults.
If you experienced an unsafe environment or untrustworthy relationships as an infant, you may face difficulties with trust as an adult. But your childhood experiences don’t have to define you.
It is possible to overcome childhood experiences and learn to trust.
Research has found, for instance, that children who were neglected while in institutional care experienced significant improvements in their social and behavioral functioning once adopted into nurturing families.
The following are ways that may help you on your journey of shifting your mindset into a more trusting one:
Final Thoughts
The trust versus mistrust stage serves as a foundation of development. The outcomes of this stage can influence the rest of childhood and adulthood in profound ways.
Of course, while it is essential for parents to provide responsive, dependable care, there’s no need to despair if you experienced mistrust as an infant. Human beings are adaptable, and it is possible to rebuild your sense of trust in yourself and in others.
Stage 2: Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
6 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Sege RD, Harper Browne C.Responding to ACEs with HOPE: Health outcomes from positive experiences.Acad Pediatr. 2017;17(7S):S79-S85. doi:10.1016/j.acap.2017.03.007Reimann M, Schilke O, Cook KS.Trust is heritable, whereas distrust is not.PNAS. 2017;114(27):7007-7012. doi:10.1073/pnas.1617132114Murphy G, Peters K, Wilkes L, Jackson D.Childhood parental mental illness: Living with fear and mistrust.Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2015;36(4):294-299. doi:10.3109/01612840.2014.971385Pitula CE, Wenner JA, Gunnar MR, Thomas KM.To trust or not to trust: Social decision-making in post-institutionalized, internationally adopted youth.Dev Sci. 2017;20(3). doi:10.1111/desc.12375American Psychological Association.Basic trust versus mistrust.Neff KD.Self-compassion: Theory, method, research, and intervention.Annu Rev Psychol. 2022;74(1). doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-032420-031047Additional ReadingErikson EH.Childhood and Society. W. W. Norton & Company; 1950.
6 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Sege RD, Harper Browne C.Responding to ACEs with HOPE: Health outcomes from positive experiences.Acad Pediatr. 2017;17(7S):S79-S85. doi:10.1016/j.acap.2017.03.007Reimann M, Schilke O, Cook KS.Trust is heritable, whereas distrust is not.PNAS. 2017;114(27):7007-7012. doi:10.1073/pnas.1617132114Murphy G, Peters K, Wilkes L, Jackson D.Childhood parental mental illness: Living with fear and mistrust.Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2015;36(4):294-299. doi:10.3109/01612840.2014.971385Pitula CE, Wenner JA, Gunnar MR, Thomas KM.To trust or not to trust: Social decision-making in post-institutionalized, internationally adopted youth.Dev Sci. 2017;20(3). doi:10.1111/desc.12375American Psychological Association.Basic trust versus mistrust.Neff KD.Self-compassion: Theory, method, research, and intervention.Annu Rev Psychol. 2022;74(1). doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-032420-031047Additional ReadingErikson EH.Childhood and Society. W. W. Norton & Company; 1950.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Sege RD, Harper Browne C.Responding to ACEs with HOPE: Health outcomes from positive experiences.Acad Pediatr. 2017;17(7S):S79-S85. doi:10.1016/j.acap.2017.03.007Reimann M, Schilke O, Cook KS.Trust is heritable, whereas distrust is not.PNAS. 2017;114(27):7007-7012. doi:10.1073/pnas.1617132114Murphy G, Peters K, Wilkes L, Jackson D.Childhood parental mental illness: Living with fear and mistrust.Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2015;36(4):294-299. doi:10.3109/01612840.2014.971385Pitula CE, Wenner JA, Gunnar MR, Thomas KM.To trust or not to trust: Social decision-making in post-institutionalized, internationally adopted youth.Dev Sci. 2017;20(3). doi:10.1111/desc.12375American Psychological Association.Basic trust versus mistrust.Neff KD.Self-compassion: Theory, method, research, and intervention.Annu Rev Psychol. 2022;74(1). doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-032420-031047
Sege RD, Harper Browne C.Responding to ACEs with HOPE: Health outcomes from positive experiences.Acad Pediatr. 2017;17(7S):S79-S85. doi:10.1016/j.acap.2017.03.007
Reimann M, Schilke O, Cook KS.Trust is heritable, whereas distrust is not.PNAS. 2017;114(27):7007-7012. doi:10.1073/pnas.1617132114
Murphy G, Peters K, Wilkes L, Jackson D.Childhood parental mental illness: Living with fear and mistrust.Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2015;36(4):294-299. doi:10.3109/01612840.2014.971385
Pitula CE, Wenner JA, Gunnar MR, Thomas KM.To trust or not to trust: Social decision-making in post-institutionalized, internationally adopted youth.Dev Sci. 2017;20(3). doi:10.1111/desc.12375
American Psychological Association.Basic trust versus mistrust.
Neff KD.Self-compassion: Theory, method, research, and intervention.Annu Rev Psychol. 2022;74(1). doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-032420-031047
Erikson EH.Childhood and Society. W. W. Norton & Company; 1950.
Meet Our Review Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit
What is your feedback?
