Emotional Trust is an essential part of every relationship. It builds up gradually and evolves through various milestones and crises. Here are the stages of how it develops:
1. Initial stage: At the initial stage of any relationship, both partners have to get to know each other. They share their personal details, likes and dislikes, hobbies, career goals, and aspirations. Gradually they start developing mutual understanding, respect, trust, and acceptance for each other's differences. This stage can be challenging if there are significant differences between the partners' values, beliefs, lifestyle choices, or personalities.
With time, this stage leads to emotional bonding, which marks the beginning of the next phase.
2. Commitment Stage: In this stage, couples start expressing commitment to each other by engaging in activities together and spending quality time. They start building a sense of loyalty and reliability towards each other. This stage involves physical intimacy and sexual exploration, leading to the development of emotional closeness and attachment. The commitment stage also includes the creation of shared memories and experiences that strengthen the bond between the couple. This stage requires continuous effort from both partners to maintain the connection and avoid misunderstandings.
3. Consolidation Stage: During this stage, couples establish routines, rituals, habits, and traditions that strengthen their bond. They become more emotionally open and vulnerable to each other, sharing their deepest fears, hopes, and dreams. This stage involves overcoming hurdles such as jealousy, insecurity, and infidelity, which can destroy the trust built during earlier stages. Partners need to communicate actively, listen attentively, and resolve conflicts without damaging each other's self-esteem. This stage is crucial in determining whether the relationship will last long-term or not.
4. Growth Stage: As the relationship grows stronger, partners develop a deeper understanding of each other's needs, preferences, and desires. They support each other through life's challenges and help each other achieve personal goals. This stage is characterized by increased intimacy, mutual respect, and unconditional love. It requires continued communication, compromise, and negotiation to deal with changing circumstances and demands.
5. Stabilization Stage: In this final stage, the couple has achieved stability, security, and contentment in their relationship. They feel comfortable expressing themselves freely and being completely honest with each other. They share responsibilities, finances, and household tasks. The relationship becomes a source of comfort and support for each partner.
This stage does not guarantee the permanence of the relationship; it may be disrupted by unexpected events or external factors.
Emotional Trust plays a vital role in the success of any relationship. It evolves gradually through various relational milestones and crises. Couples must be patient, honest, and willing to work hard to build and maintain trust.
How does emotional trust evolve through relational milestones or crises?
Emotional trust can be understood as an intersubjective construct where two individuals come together with their respective values, beliefs, and behaviors to create mutual feelings of reliability, loyalty, safety, reciprocity, acceptance, and empathy towards one another. These feelings are shaped by various social factors such as cultural norms, personal histories, communication patterns, and expectations.