Research brief

What is the prevailing level of interpersonal trust among the general population, specifically evaluating whether individuals believe most people can be trusted, whether one must be careful in dealing with others, or if the situation depends on context?

Based on a survey of 499 U.S. consumers generated from demographic-based AI respondents.Sep 15, 2026, 3:12 PMPublic research report

Target audience

US adults aged 18 and older

Age 18-Any

Sample size 499

Completed / Failed 499 / 1

Which of the following statements best reflects your general view on interacting with others?

You can't be too careful in dealing with people

47.1%

n=235

Respondents for this option · Drivers

Personal past experiences with others

Observations of societal behavior and news

General philosophy or upbringing

The specific context or situation at hand

It depends

36.1%

n=180

Respondents for this option · Drivers

The specific context or situation at hand

Observations of societal behavior and news

General philosophy or upbringing

Personal past experiences with others

Most people can be trusted

16.8%

n=84

Respondents for this option · Drivers

General philosophy or upbringing

Personal past experiences with others

The specific context or situation at hand

Observations of societal behavior and news

You can't be too careful in dealing with people audience

The segment that believes one cannot be too careful in dealing with others is primarily composed of older, lower-income adults with a high school education.

235 / 499 respondents47.1%

This group is significantly more likely to have a high school education compared to the general population.

A majority of these individuals report an annual income of less than $50,000.

The segment shows a notable concentration of adults aged 55 to 64.

Key differences

Potential risks

What are they worried about?

Fear of exploitation and manipulation

I worry most about being taken advantage of or exploited, especially in professional interactions where someone might use my good intentions for their own gain.

Risk of financial or material loss

My biggest concern is the potential for financial or material loss, especially given how hard it is to recover those resources on a fixed income.

Disappointment from unmet expectations and unreliability

The biggest risk is that my expectations for professional reliability will not be met, leading to wasted time and project setbacks. I rely on consistent performance, so when someone fails to deliver as promised, it disrupts the entire workflow.

Concerns regarding security and privacy

I worry most about security and privacy vulnerabilities because my past experiences have taught me that people can easily misuse my personal information if I am not extremely careful.

Sampling data

Review the respondent-level sample records