Do We Trust Strangers Out of Obligation?
Now, this is weird. But it makes sense. Obligation makes us trust strangers. Say what? A new study has found that "t rusting a stranger may have more to do with feeling morally obligated to show respect for someone else's character than actually believing the person is trustworthy,"according to new research published by the American Psychological Association, newswise.com reports. I fear I may be that person. Brought up to show politeness and deference to everyone, I'm the person who says, "oh, I'm sorry" when someone else pushes their way past me. "Trust is crucial not just for established relationships, it's also especially vital between strangers within social groups who have no responsibility toward each other outside of a single, transitory interaction. eBay or farmers' markets couldn't exist without trust among strangers," the Web site quotes lead author David Dunning, PhD, of Cornell University. "We wanted