Parents should instill optimism about trust because optimists learn faster

Evidence

Optimistic assessments can be beneficial only if the general social conditions the optimistic assessor faces are relatively favorable, so that statistically acting on this optimism will be rewarded by trustworthiness. The huge genre of post-apocalypse films and novels of our time portray conditions in which trust is generally not justified. Life is impoverished beyond measure, with the demands of survival and struggle preempting almost all else. To have optimistic assessments in these conditions might be to risk suicide. Even under ordinary circumstances, a central issue for optimistic assessment is how well past experience corresponds to future opportunities. — Russell Hardin, Trust and Trustworthiness, 545 (#qualifies, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Optimism about others’ trustworthiness is self-reinforcing through gained experience; Erring toward optimistic trust is easier to correct than erring toward pessimism. — Russell Hardin, Trust and Trustworthiness, 529; Optimism about trust is rewarded only in relatively trustworthy social conditions — Russell Hardin, Trust and Trustworthiness, 545 (+4 more)

Related

• Parents should err toward instilling optimistic trust in children (similarity 0.89)
• Optimism about trust is rewarded only in relatively trustworthy social conditions (similarity 0.83)
• Erring toward optimistic trust is easier to correct than erring toward pessimism. (similarity 0.82)
• The capacity to trust others is as important as being trustworthy (similarity 0.79)

Broader Connections

• Optimism about others’ trustworthiness is self-reinforcing through gained experience #corroborates (0.82)
• Trust is inductively corrigible by objective experience #corroborates (0.80)
• Optimism about trust is rewarded only in relatively trustworthy social conditions #qualifies (0.78) — Russell Hardin, Trust and Trustworthiness, 545
• Erring toward optimistic trust is easier to correct than erring toward pessimism. #expands (0.75) — Russell Hardin, Trust and Trustworthiness, 529
• People willing to trust others are themselves more trustworthy and well-adjusted #corroborates (0.74) — Diego Gambetta, Trust - Making and Breaking Cooperative…, 525
• Readiness to trust itself varies and is not a fixed precondition #expands (0.72)
• Trusting others and trusting oneself develop together. #expands (0.72) — Anthony Giddens, The Consequences of Modernity, 231