Exploring Functional and Dysfunctional Aspects of Interpersonal Distrust

Interpersonal distrust is conceptualised as an expectation of harm or negative outcomes from another person’s conduct including words, decisions, and behaviours. Although distrust tends to be perceived with negative connotations, previous literature suggests that it could be productive or healthy when it serves as protection from harmful situations. To further understand how distrust functions, this study aimed to distinguish two dimensions of distrust—functional and dysfunctional—that are deployed in interpersonal contexts. Functional distrust serves to reduce realistic vulnerability to harm and is flexible, while dysfunctional distrust similarly serves to reduce vulnerability to harm but is more extreme, rigid, and can prevent reasonable risk-taking that could lead to positive outcomes. A sample of undergraduate students (n = 309) completed an online survey on attributes and behaviours associated with the propensity to distrust. A series of correlation analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between the distrust dimensions and the attitudinal and behavioural constructs included in the proposed nomological net, and t-test analyses were conducted to assess gender differences among these relationships. While the two dimensions of distrust are related, they differ in their strength of association with some variables (mistrust, social cynicism, neuroticism, and risk-taking) and differ in kind with others (gullibility and irrational beliefs). These preliminary findings can stimulate research regarding the impact of functional and dysfunctional distrust in interpersonal relationships.