Understanding how to build trust is essential for creating deeper, more meaningful connections in every area of life.
“If people like you, they’ll listen to you, but if they trust you, they’ll do business with you.” – Zig Ziglar
Although this isn’t a business-related article, Zig’s quote testifies to the power of trust. Any relationship – personal and professional – depends on mutual trust.
Human psychology has a lot to do with it. Behavioral and cognitive scientists have studied the trust/behavior phenomenon for a long time. Again and again, researchers and scientists conclude that one’s willingness to trust another is strongly influenced by what the other person says and does. If you’re looking for more ideas on how to build trust in a relationship, this guide explores emotional trust from a personal angle.
In this article, we’ll take a look at five such behaviors. Of course, we back up each point with scientific evidence. Genuine displays of these behaviors can help you gain the trust of friends, co-workers, and even strangers—all through a better understanding of how to build trust.
5 Ways To Get People To Trust You
1. How a Pleasant Scent Can Help Build Trust
Ok, we all know that being smelly isn’t conducive to earning someone’s trust. On the other hand, our olfactory nerve (which affects smell) does influence trust to some degree.
To measure interpersonal trust, University of Arizona professor Joyce Berg developed the Trust Game (aka, “the investment game”). Dutch researchers used it to explore how certain scents might affect trust.
They divided 90 participants into three groups; one group was exposed to no smell, the second group to peppermint, and the third to lavender. People in the lavender-smelling group were “significantly more willing” to entrust money to others than participants in other groups.
Researchers explained this phenomenon in simple terms: lavender has a calming effect. Apparently, this calming effect may invoke feelings of trust in others.
2. Build Trust by Mirroring Body Language
One group of MBA students were asked to mimic their colleagues in a business transaction negotiation subtly. Another group was used as a control, and were advised not to mirror. None of their colleagues knew of the experiment.
The simple act of resting an elbow on the table when their partner did drastically affected the outcome.
The mirroring group reached a deal 67 percent of the time, while only 12 percent of the control group succeeded. Researchers have previously shown that we mirror those we admire; adding another exciting dimension to interpersonal relationships.
3. How Mutual Connections Help You Build Trust Online
Triadic closure is the social tendency to include a third person (hence, a triad) if the person ‘(a)’ or ‘(b)’ has already has a friendship with that person. Think of the friend that brings someone along to a party; others are more likely to approach and bond with the guest.
University of British Columbia students wanted to examine the Triadic closure effect on social media. Researchers asked students to randomly “friend” people on Facebook.
When profiles showed mutual “friends,” 80 percent of the recipients accepted the request. Just 20 percent accepted the request when there were no mutual friends.
Fast-forward to 2025, and the effect is even more visible on platforms like TikTok and Threads, where mutual follows and shared comment threads influence who gets followed or trusted in discussions. Algorithms prioritize content based on mutual interactions, further strengthening this triadic dynamic.
Guess there’s a reason why we’re always told to “network.”
And in the digital age, knowing how to build trust through shared connections and social validation is more important than ever.
4. Apologize With Empathy
This one is kind of interesting.
Some of us detest having to apologize; especially for something that is not our fault. We may want to rethink our mindset on this matter, however, as doing so may very well improve our relationships; even with strangers.
Harvard researchers found that even unnecessary or superficial apologies can earn empathy and trust. If you’re wondering how to build trust quickly with someone new, a sincere (even minor) apology might just be the unexpected key.
In one study, a young man was asked to approach 65 strangers in a large train station while raining outside and ask to use their cell phone. When preceding his request to borrow the cell with a (somewhat weird) “I’m so sorry about the rain!” 47 percent gave him the phone. When he didn’t? 9 percent.
5. Don’t Be Embarrassed!
In a study at the University of California at Berkeley, a young man was told by beaming professors that he’d gotten “a perfect score” on a test. Behind the scenes, of course, were researchers videotaping the reactions of people around him. In the first experiment, the man responded pridefully. In the second, he was relatively shy and embarrassed.
Afterward, researchers invited classmates to play trust-based games with the man. Those who saw him “respond with pride” trusted him less than those who saw his shy reaction. However, when the man responded with a bit of shyness and embarrassment, classmates were more willing to have some faith in the guy.
Social scientists and researchers correlate embarrassment with pro-social behavior. Pride, on the other hand, appears to have the exact opposite effect.
References:
http://www.rd.com/advice/relationships/habits-make-people-trust/
https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/z/zigziglar617767.html?src=t_trust
https://www.cs.cornell.edu/home/kleinber/networks-book/networks-book-ch03.pdf
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