Suspicion of others is well-grounded because people change and misrepresent

Evidence

There are at least four reasons for this. First, the other might change between the time we place our trust and when the other must act on it. Second, people can and often do strategically misrepresent themselves in order to gain advantage. When you and I discuss some matter of significance to both of us, there is always the possibility that we do not put our views fully and honestly but, rather, put them strategically in terms that would appeal in some way to the other. Often, we do this relatively innocently because we are, in fact, unsure of our actual desires. I think I more or less share your interests now, but after reflection I may realize I do not. — Russell Hardin, Trust and Trustworthiness, 447

Categorization

• XREF: The ‘strategic misrepresentation even when innocent because we are unsure of our desires’ point connects to social-exchange accounts of preference uncertainty — echoes themes in Milgrom’s law-merchant work on information asymmetries.