Abstract
The relation between children’s trust beliefs and trusting behavior in peer interaction was examined. One hundred and 5 Italian children (54 boys; mean age = 10 years-7 months) completed standardized scales of reliability (i.e., promise keeping) trust beliefs in parents and peers. The children participated in mixed-motive interactions with classmates which assessed behavior-dependent reliability trust on peers. The children’s reliability trustworthiness towards peers/classmates was assessed by peer reports. The SEM analyses supported the hypothesized model by showing: (1) a path between trust beliefs in parents and trust beliefs in peers; (2) paths between both types of trust beliefs and behavior-dependent trust on peers; (3) a path between behavior-dependent trust in peers and trustworthiness towards peers. Trust beliefs in peers were found to mediate the relation between trust beliefs in parents and behavior-dependent trust in peers. The findings yielded support for the basis, domain, and target trust framework and attachment theory.
Highlights
Children’s trust beliefs and trusting behavior play a crucial role in their psychosocial functioning [1,2,3,4]
We examined whether the observed gender differences in reliability trustworthiness towards peers is replicable, notably for children from Italy
The correlations with trust beliefs in mothers and trust beliefs in fathers were not statistically different and the correlations were all in the same direction
Summary
Children’s trust beliefs and trusting behavior play a crucial role in their psychosocial functioning [1,2,3,4]. There is a lack of evidence regarding the relation between children’s trust beliefs in others (i.e., parents and peers) and the children’s trusting behavior in peer interactions. Research has not adequately examined: (a) the precise relation between children’s trust beliefs in peers and trusting behavior in peer interaction and (b) the relation between children’s trust beliefs in parents and that trusting behavior. The current study was designed to redress that gap in our knowledge. It was guided by the basis, domain, and target (BDT) interpersonal trust framework [3] and attachment theory [5]
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