The Evolution of Trust: Why It's So Hard for Us to Spot Deception

We went from depending on it for survival to being exploited.

Art by the Author.

“The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.” — Ernest Hemingway

Evolutionarily, it would make sense for humans to be hardwired to trust. After all, trusting others is essential for building solid relationships, and cooperation is key to survival. 

But is that why it’s so hard for most of us to spot deception? 

Let’s take a closer look at the evolution of trust and see how it has played out in both primitive and modern times.