The Truth About Trust by David DeSteno Summary

The Truth About Trust explores how trust shapes success in relationships, career, health, and learning. David DeSteno combines psychology, biology, and economics to reveal trust’s physiological roots, its development from childhood, and its impact on socioeconomic status. The book also examines nonverbal trustworthiness cues, self-trust challenges, and how technology alters virtual interactions.

This book suits readers interested in psychology, personal development, or improving relationships. Professionals in leadership, education, or tech will gain insights into building trust in teams and online platforms. It’s also valuable for anyone navigating trust issues in personal or professional contexts.

Yes—DeSteno’s research-backed approach offers actionable insights, like identifying trust cues and balancing risk/reward in relationships. Kirkus Reviews praises its engaging storytelling and fresh perspective on trust’s role in everyday decisions, calling it “a necessary part of life.”

Key themes include:

• Trust’s evolutionary role in survival and collaboration.
• How socioeconomic status and upbringing shape trust tendencies.
• Nonverbal cues (e.g., body language) as trust indicators.
• The paradox of self-trust and willpower.
• Technology’s impact on virtual trust dynamics.

DeSteno argues trust in love hinges on mutual vulnerability and consistent reliability. He highlights how early attachment styles influence adult relationships and warns against over-reliance on intuition, urging couples to balance emotional cues with evidence of a partner’s actions.

The book reveals self-trust is fragile and context-dependent. DeSteno shows how stress or exhaustion skews self-assessment, leading to poor decisions. He advocates mindfulness and external feedback to improve self-trust accuracy.

DeSteno identifies subtle cues:

• Microexpressions: Brief facial signals of sincerity.
• Speech patterns: Hesitations or overly polished language.
• Consistency: Alignment between words and actions.

His lab experiments demonstrate humans can intuitively detect these markers better than conscious analysis.

DeSteno warns that digital platforms lack nonverbal cues, increasing miscommunication risk. He suggests compensating with transparency (e.g., clear expectations) and gradual trust-building through small, verified commitments. The book also discusses AI’s role in mimicking trust signals.

Some reviewers note the book focuses more on trust’s science than practical tools. While DeSteno’s six trust rules are concise, readers seeking step-by-step guides may desire more applied strategies.

Unlike single-focus works (e.g., Ariely’s behavioral economics), DeSteno integrates multidisciplinary research to map trust’s universal impact. It’s closer to Brené Brown’s vulnerability studies but emphasizes empirical data over personal narratives.

1. Trust is a calculated risk, not blind faith.
2. Context heavily influences trust decisions.
3. Self-trust requires regular calibration.
4. Virtual trust demands intentional communication.
5. Socioeconomic factors create trust “blind spots”.

David DeSteno is a psychology professor at Northeastern University and director of its Social Emotions Lab. A Yale PhD, he’s published in The New York Times and Harvard Business Review. His NSF-funded research on moral behavior has been featured on NPR and CBS.