Rachel Botsman

Maria Konnikova is a psychologist and author who's written a lot about distrust. She's an expert in the ways trust is exploited by everyone from con artists to poker players. And she happens to be a champion poker player herself.

Maria Konnikova is a psychologist and author who's written a lot about distrust. She's an expert in the ways trust is exploited by everyone from con artists to poker players. And she happens to be a champion poker player herself.

There's a fascinating study on the link between trust and familiarity. The study, done by a professor named Lisa D. Bryan from the University of Glasgow, showed how facial resemblance enhances trust. Participants in an experiment were shown faces of strangers to be potential playing partners for a game.

There's a fascinating study on the link between trust and familiarity. The study, done by a professor named Lisa D. Bryan from the University of Glasgow, showed how facial resemblance enhances trust. Participants in an experiment were shown faces of strangers to be potential playing partners for a game.

When the face of the stranger was similar to the face of the participant, they were more likely to trust the unknown person. Take a moment to think about that. Have you ever trusted someone just because they felt familiar? Maybe they went to the same school as you, like the same sports team, or maybe, as in the study, they even looked a bit like you.

When the face of the stranger was similar to the face of the participant, they were more likely to trust the unknown person. Take a moment to think about that. Have you ever trusted someone just because they felt familiar? Maybe they went to the same school as you, like the same sports team, or maybe, as in the study, they even looked a bit like you.

Familiar trust signals are often the loudest because of what's known as confirmation and desirability bias. We use them to confirm our own ideas about how someone or something should be or how we want them to be. That's what happened with my parents and Doris the nanny. She showed up wearing a navy-coloured uniform, complete with a bonnet hat.

Familiar trust signals are often the loudest because of what's known as confirmation and desirability bias. We use them to confirm our own ideas about how someone or something should be or how we want them to be. That's what happened with my parents and Doris the nanny. She showed up wearing a navy-coloured uniform, complete with a bonnet hat.

She had a mop of curly hair and large steel rimmed glasses. She even played the tambourine. I'm not joking. What a trustworthy person she must be. And even when some major red flags started popping up, my parents let the familiar trust signals override their better judgement. There was the time Doris wanted to get away for a weekend.

She had a mop of curly hair and large steel rimmed glasses. She even played the tambourine. I'm not joking. What a trustworthy person she must be. And even when some major red flags started popping up, my parents let the familiar trust signals override their better judgement. There was the time Doris wanted to get away for a weekend.

So she said her Uncle Charlie had died and she needed to go to the funeral. My dad found out this wasn't true when he called Doris's mum to express his condolences. And Doris's mum said, but Uncle Charlie is just fine. Doris must be confused.

So she said her Uncle Charlie had died and she needed to go to the funeral. My dad found out this wasn't true when he called Doris's mum to express his condolences. And Doris's mum said, but Uncle Charlie is just fine. Doris must be confused.

But you know, even after Uncle Charlie, she came with us on a holiday to Marbella.

But you know, even after Uncle Charlie, she came with us on a holiday to Marbella.

Even though we were only five and eight, my brother and I could see how Doris was, well, different when my parents were around. It was all an act. And eventually, even my dad couldn't ignore what he was seeing. At the height of suspicion, he did something he'd never done before. He searched Doris's room. found a bag of money under her bed. Quite a lot of foreign currency.

Even though we were only five and eight, my brother and I could see how Doris was, well, different when my parents were around. It was all an act. And eventually, even my dad couldn't ignore what he was seeing. At the height of suspicion, he did something he'd never done before. He searched Doris's room. found a bag of money under her bed. Quite a lot of foreign currency.

And it happened to be from countries Dad had been travelling to for work.

And it happened to be from countries Dad had been travelling to for work.

The same tree. I want to know where this tree is, Dad. And still, Doris stayed with us. That was until my dad's car went missing and he finally kicked her out, called the police and sat guard outside our front door with a baseball bat.

The same tree. I want to know where this tree is, Dad. And still, Doris stayed with us. That was until my dad's car went missing and he finally kicked her out, called the police and sat guard outside our front door with a baseball bat.