INTERPERSONAL TRUST AS A PREREQUISITE FOR PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN PEOPLE

The article studies interpersonal trust: the theoretical aspects of its interpretation in psychology and the empirical analysis of its manifestations. We should note that the role of interpersonal trust in the modern informational world, at virtualization of relationships between people, is constantly increasing, determining the character of our society functioning and development. It is stated that there are different understandings of the phenomenon of interpersonal trust in psychology with scientific focuses on its various components, but most of the researchers unite its rational-cognitive component, on the one hand, and its moral dimension, on the other one, namely, a wise risk assessment of trust and its practical consequences and the moral value of trust and its contribution to the existence of whole civilization. Scientists lay a particular emphasis on the reliability and honesty of a trusted object and risks and mental vulnerability of its agent, which are the main criteria of interpersonal trust, and on the fact that trust always (implicitly or explicitly) contains a personal element. The performed empirical study confirmed our assumption that there were links between the respondents’ personal traits and the features of their trust/distrust in other people and identifies personal characteristics influencing the trust/distrust in them of others. The conclusion is: interpersonal trust is such attitude towards another person when we expect that he/she prefer cooperation and relationships with us, despite the possibility of harming us; it is a belief in reliability and responsibility, in a person's willingness to fulfill his/her promises given to his/her communication partner. The respondents made decisions whether it was possible to trust different categories of people (strangers, acquaintances, relatives), if they were characterized by such traits: politeness, gladness, compassion, courage and openness. Distrust appeared at the presence of the following personal traits: aggressiveness, impulsiveness, secrecy and talkativeness; the factors determining trust were the trustworthiness of another person and common interests; distrust was caused by orientation on calculations, lack attachment or knowledge on a person.