[Music] when I think about trust I imagine a
when I think about trust I imagine a
when I think about trust I imagine a person falling backwards into the arms
person falling backwards into the arms
person falling backwards into the arms of others
of others
of others you just had a curiosity how many of you
you just had a curiosity how many of you
you just had a curiosity how many of you have done something like this as far as
have done something like this as far as
have done something like this as far as a man more than a half of you looks like
a man more than a half of you looks like
a man more than a half of you looks like awesome I also think about someone who’s
awesome I also think about someone who’s
awesome I also think about someone who’s being helped to do something difficult
being helped to do something difficult
being helped to do something difficult maybe even dangerous like this person at
maybe even dangerous like this person at
maybe even dangerous like this person at the edge of Victoria Falls now I think
the edge of Victoria Falls now I think
the edge of Victoria Falls now I think that the two people featured in these
that the two people featured in these
that the two people featured in these photographs share a number of things in
photographs share a number of things in
photographs share a number of things in common at the moment that these photos
common at the moment that these photos
common at the moment that these photos were taken I think that each person was
were taken I think that each person was
were taken I think that each person was feeling vulnerable maybe even a little
feeling vulnerable maybe even a little
feeling vulnerable maybe even a little scared I also think that each person had
scared I also think that each person had
scared I also think that each person had an expectation that others were acting
an expectation that others were acting
an expectation that others were acting to keep them safe and that when this was
to keep them safe and that when this was
to keep them safe and that when this was all over everything would be okay
all over everything would be okay
all over everything would be okay well that syncs up pretty well with Hell
well that syncs up pretty well with Hell
well that syncs up pretty well with Hell Trust is defined in the psychological
Trust is defined in the psychological
Trust is defined in the psychological literature
literature
literature Denise verso and her colleagues define
Denise verso and her colleagues define
Denise verso and her colleagues define trust as a psychological state
trust as a psychological state
trust as a psychological state comprising the intention to accept the
comprising the intention to accept the
comprising the intention to accept the vulnerability based upon positive
vulnerability based upon positive
vulnerability based upon positive expectations of the intentions or
expectations of the intentions or
expectations of the intentions or behavior of another that’s a mouthful
behavior of another that’s a mouthful
behavior of another that’s a mouthful another way to think about it is trust
another way to think about it is trust
another way to think about it is trust is the expectation that other people’s
is the expectation that other people’s
is the expectation that other people’s future actions will safeguard our
future actions will safeguard our
future actions will safeguard our interests Trust is a critical ingredient
interests Trust is a critical ingredient
interests Trust is a critical ingredient to a successful high functioning
to a successful high functioning
to a successful high functioning community it affects how we approach our
community it affects how we approach our
community it affects how we approach our personal relationships it’s important
personal relationships it’s important
personal relationships it’s important for our economy when Trust is high
for our economy when Trust is high
for our economy when Trust is high business can be conducted more cost
business can be conducted more cost
business can be conducted more cost effectively and efficiently and it’s
effectively and efficiently and it’s
effectively and efficiently and it’s central to our democracy each time we
central to our democracy each time we
central to our democracy each time we vote we’re sharing a significant portion
vote we’re sharing a significant portion
vote we’re sharing a significant portion of our personal political power with
of our personal political power with
of our personal political power with those who we expect to represent our
those who we expect to represent our
those who we expect to represent our interests as a social psychologist the
interests as a social psychologist the
interests as a social psychologist the concept of trust is interested to me for
concept of trust is interested to me for
concept of trust is interested to me for a long time and as someone who asks
a long time and as someone who asks
a long time and as someone who asks questions for a living I knew that I
questions for a living I knew that I
questions for a living I knew that I could design a research study that would
could design a research study that would
could design a research study that would help us to better understand what trust
help us to better understand what trust
help us to better understand what trust looks like here in central Ohio and
looks like here in central Ohio and
looks like here in central Ohio and that’s how I found myself on my path to
that’s how I found myself on my path to
that’s how I found myself on my path to the Columbus trust study which I’ll tell
the Columbus trust study which I’ll tell
the Columbus trust study which I’ll tell you more about in a moment now one of
you more about in a moment now one of
you more about in a moment now one of the first researchers to study Trust was
the first researchers to study Trust was
the first researchers to study Trust was the Cornell University professor named
the Cornell University professor named
the Cornell University professor named Morris Rosenberg in 1956 he created a
Morris Rosenberg in 1956 he created a
Morris Rosenberg in 1956 he created a set of quest
set of quest
set of quest that measured what he called faith in
that measured what he called faith in
that measured what he called faith in people a few years later a national
people a few years later a national
people a few years later a national study called the General Social Survey
study called the General Social Survey
study called the General Social Survey took some of those questions and began
took some of those questions and began
took some of those questions and began asking them of representative samples of
asking them of representative samples of
asking them of representative samples of Americans here’s one of those questions
Americans here’s one of those questions
Americans here’s one of those questions generally speaking would you say that
generally speaking would you say that
generally speaking would you say that most people can be trusted or that you
most people can be trusted or that you
most people can be trusted or that you can’t be too careful in dealing with
can’t be too careful in dealing with
can’t be too careful in dealing with people now this question has been asked
people now this question has been asked
people now this question has been asked about every two years since 1972 and
about every two years since 1972 and
about every two years since 1972 and unfortunately the long-term trend over
unfortunately the long-term trend over
unfortunately the long-term trend over time does not look good in the early 70s
time does not look good in the early 70s
time does not look good in the early 70s about half of Americans said most people
about half of Americans said most people
about half of Americans said most people can be trusted a percentage that’s
can be trusted a percentage that’s
can be trusted a percentage that’s declined to less than a third in 2016
declined to less than a third in 2016
declined to less than a third in 2016 and if you look at research from other
and if you look at research from other
and if you look at research from other research organizations like Gallup
research organizations like Gallup
research organizations like Gallup you’ll see a similar story over a
you’ll see a similar story over a
you’ll see a similar story over a similar time period fewer Americans have
similar time period fewer Americans have
similar time period fewer Americans have trust or confidence in our political
trust or confidence in our political
trust or confidence in our political leaders fewer Americans have trust or
leaders fewer Americans have trust or
leaders fewer Americans have trust or confidence in mass media’s ability to
confidence in mass media’s ability to
confidence in mass media’s ability to collect and communicate information and
collect and communicate information and
collect and communicate information and fewer Americans have trust or confidence
fewer Americans have trust or confidence
fewer Americans have trust or confidence in one another when it comes to making
in one another when it comes to making
in one another when it comes to making important political decisions about two
important political decisions about two
important political decisions about two years ago my colleague Brian Havilland
years ago my colleague Brian Havilland
years ago my colleague Brian Havilland and I were talking about these national
and I were talking about these national
and I were talking about these national trends and the declining notion of trust
trends and the declining notion of trust
trends and the declining notion of trust and we wondered what does trust look
and we wondered what does trust look
and we wondered what does trust look like here in central Ohio to what extent
like here in central Ohio to what extent
like here in central Ohio to what extent do we have faith in people so my
do we have faith in people so my
do we have faith in people so my research firm his marketing firm we
research firm his marketing firm we
research firm his marketing firm we partnered together we launched the
partnered together we launched the
partnered together we launched the Columbus trial study earlier this year
Columbus trial study earlier this year
Columbus trial study earlier this year we randomly sampled thousands of
we randomly sampled thousands of
we randomly sampled thousands of households from across Franklin County
households from across Franklin County
households from across Franklin County over the summer we sent them multiple
over the summer we sent them multiple
over the summer we sent them multiple mailings inviting them to participate in
mailings inviting them to participate in
mailings inviting them to participate in the survey which they could do either
the survey which they could do either
the survey which they could do either online or by completing a hard copy of a
online or by completing a hard copy of a
online or by completing a hard copy of a survey questionnaire that we’d mailed to
survey questionnaire that we’d mailed to
survey questionnaire that we’d mailed to their home and here’s what we found
their home and here’s what we found
their home and here’s what we found overall we see that nearly half of the
overall we see that nearly half of the
overall we see that nearly half of the people in our community say most people
people in our community say most people
people in our community say most people can be trusted a percentage that’s
can be trusted a percentage that’s
can be trusted a percentage that’s significantly greater than what we see
significantly greater than what we see
significantly greater than what we see either across the nation or across the
either across the nation or across the
either across the nation or across the Midwest we also saw that trust was
Midwest we also saw that trust was
Midwest we also saw that trust was related to some important demographic
related to some important demographic
related to some important demographic variables like education those with more
variables like education those with more
variables like education those with more formal education were more likely to say
formal education were more likely to say
formal education were more likely to say most people can be trusted we also saw a
most people can be trusted we also saw a
most people can be trusted we also saw a gender effect males were more likely
gender effect males were more likely
gender effect males were more likely than females to say
than females to say
than females to say most people can be trusted I know all
most people can be trusted I know all
most people can be trusted I know all right trust me is there research in
right trust me is there research in
right trust me is there research in addition to looking at what trust looked
addition to looking at what trust looked
addition to looking at what trust looked like across the community I was also
like across the community I was also
like across the community I was also curious about what it might look like
curious about what it might look like
curious about what it might look like within the community neighborhood the
within the community neighborhood the
within the community neighborhood the neighborhood
neighborhood
neighborhood zip code a zip code so we mapped our
zip code a zip code so we mapped our
zip code a zip code so we mapped our data this map here shows you the major
data this map here shows you the major
data this map here shows you the major zip code areas around the county the
zip code areas around the county the
zip code areas around the county the areas that are shaded in a dark blue our
areas that are shaded in a dark blue our
areas that are shaded in a dark blue our areas were a greater percentage of the
areas were a greater percentage of the
areas were a greater percentage of the people in our survey said most people
people in our survey said most people
people in our survey said most people can be trusted and the areas that are
can be trusted and the areas that are
can be trusted and the areas that are look shady more lightly or white our
look shady more lightly or white our
look shady more lightly or white our areas in which a fewer percentage a
areas in which a fewer percentage a
areas in which a fewer percentage a smaller percentage of people said most
smaller percentage of people said most
smaller percentage of people said most people can be trusted and as you can see
people can be trusted and as you can see
people can be trusted and as you can see Trust is not distributed equally around
Trust is not distributed equally around
Trust is not distributed equally around our community now whether you look at
our community now whether you look at
our community now whether you look at education or gender or even where you
education or gender or even where you
education or gender or even where you live it’s clear that your life
live it’s clear that your life
live it’s clear that your life experience plays an important role in
experience plays an important role in
experience plays an important role in determining how or whether you trust
determining how or whether you trust
determining how or whether you trust diving into all the socio-economic
diving into all the socio-economic
diving into all the socio-economic factors that could lead to trust could
factors that could lead to trust could
factors that could lead to trust could probably be its own TED talk
probably be its own TED talk
probably be its own TED talk but today considering that we live what
but today considering that we live what
but today considering that we live what seems to be in an increasingly divided
seems to be in an increasingly divided
seems to be in an increasingly divided society I’d like to focus on one other
society I’d like to focus on one other
society I’d like to focus on one other aspect of the Columbus trust study that
aspect of the Columbus trust study that
aspect of the Columbus trust study that has me really excited because I think it
has me really excited because I think it
has me really excited because I think it has the potential to help us move
has the potential to help us move
has the potential to help us move forward as a community in the right
forward as a community in the right
forward as a community in the right direction and I’m talking about the link
direction and I’m talking about the link
direction and I’m talking about the link that we see between trust and community
that we see between trust and community
that we see between trust and community engagement in our study we saw that the
engagement in our study we saw that the
engagement in our study we saw that the majority of people who said most people
majority of people who said most people
majority of people who said most people can be trusted also report volunteering
can be trusted also report volunteering
can be trusted also report volunteering some of their time in a typical month
some of their time in a typical month
some of their time in a typical month with a nonprofit civic or religious
with a nonprofit civic or religious
with a nonprofit civic or religious organization what’s more we see that
organization what’s more we see that
organization what’s more we see that those people who say most people can be
those people who say most people can be
those people who say most people can be trusted also volunteer more of their
trusted also volunteer more of their
trusted also volunteer more of their time in a typical month compared to
time in a typical month compared to
time in a typical month compared to those who say you can’t be too careful
those who say you can’t be too careful
those who say you can’t be too careful now our data don’t let us say that more
now our data don’t let us say that more
now our data don’t let us say that more Trust leads to more volunteering or more
Trust leads to more volunteering or more
Trust leads to more volunteering or more volunteering leads to more trust it’s
volunteering leads to more trust it’s
volunteering leads to more trust it’s possible that both of those
possible that both of those
possible that both of those interpretations are correct as a matter
interpretations are correct as a matter
interpretations are correct as a matter of fact if you go back and look at what
of fact if you go back and look at what
of fact if you go back and look at what Robert Putnam wrote in his popular book
Robert Putnam wrote in his popular book
Robert Putnam wrote in his popular book Bowling Alone he said that social trust
Bowling Alone he said that social trust
Bowling Alone he said that social trust honesty and civic engagement they’re all
honesty and civic engagement they’re all
honesty and civic engagement they’re all mutually reinforcing and I think he’s
mutually reinforcing and I think he’s
mutually reinforcing and I think he’s right for me the key takeaway here
right for me the key takeaway here
right for me the key takeaway here is that if we were to act in ways that
is that if we were to act in ways that
is that if we were to act in ways that either increase our general positive
either increase our general positive
either increase our general positive view of others or increase our
view of others or increase our
view of others or increase our engagement with the community other
engagement with the community other
engagement with the community other positive outcomes are likely to result
positive outcomes are likely to result
positive outcomes are likely to result we know that Trust is born when we allow
we know that Trust is born when we allow
we know that Trust is born when we allow ourselves to be vulnerable to others who
ourselves to be vulnerable to others who
ourselves to be vulnerable to others who we expect to protect our interests
we expect to protect our interests
we expect to protect our interests however we’ve seen that not everyone is
however we’ve seen that not everyone is
however we’ve seen that not everyone is sharing in the same level of trust
sharing in the same level of trust
sharing in the same level of trust around the community and across the
around the community and across the
around the community and across the nation it seems that were becoming more
nation it seems that were becoming more
nation it seems that were becoming more and more closed off from one another so
and more closed off from one another so
and more closed off from one another so what can we possibly do to build trust
what can we possibly do to build trust
what can we possibly do to build trust some clues to that answer might lie in
some clues to that answer might lie in
some clues to that answer might lie in the academic research literature on this
the academic research literature on this
the academic research literature on this topic researchers who study trusts and
topic researchers who study trusts and
topic researchers who study trusts and laboratory settings often use a method
laboratory settings often use a method
laboratory settings often use a method called the trust game and this game
called the trust game and this game
called the trust game and this game involves two people exchanging money
involves two people exchanging money
involves two people exchanging money back and forth so there’s some
back and forth so there’s some
back and forth so there’s some real-world stakes here and what they
real-world stakes here and what they
real-world stakes here and what they found is that people who play this game
found is that people who play this game
found is that people who play this game more frequently with one another are
more frequently with one another are
more frequently with one another are more likely to show trusting behaviors
more likely to show trusting behaviors
more likely to show trusting behaviors with one another this is probably
with one another this is probably
with one another this is probably because they’re increasing the amount of
because they’re increasing the amount of
because they’re increasing the amount of information they have about how other
information they have about how other
information they have about how other people are likely to act in the future
people are likely to act in the future
people are likely to act in the future and that lets them better predict the
and that lets them better predict the
and that lets them better predict the future to paraphrase Ernest Hemingway
future to paraphrase Ernest Hemingway
future to paraphrase Ernest Hemingway the best way to find out if you can
the best way to find out if you can
the best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them being
trust somebody is to trust them being
trust somebody is to trust them being vulnerable with positive expectations is
vulnerable with positive expectations is
vulnerable with positive expectations is a critical necessary condition for the
a critical necessary condition for the
a critical necessary condition for the creation of trust so I’d like to
creation of trust so I’d like to
creation of trust so I’d like to challenge you to share more of your time
challenge you to share more of your time
challenge you to share more of your time effort and expertise with people in the
effort and expertise with people in the
effort and expertise with people in the community who are unfamiliar to you get
community who are unfamiliar to you get
community who are unfamiliar to you get or share similar goals or interests and
or share similar goals or interests and
or share similar goals or interests and when you’re faced by a situation that
when you’re faced by a situation that
when you’re faced by a situation that asks for you to become vulnerable to
asks for you to become vulnerable to
asks for you to become vulnerable to someone else to take that risk in
someone else to take that risk in
someone else to take that risk in addition to building a stronger
addition to building a stronger
addition to building a stronger community you may find yourself trust in
community you may find yourself trust in
community you may find yourself trust in others a little bit more thank you
”
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