Willingness

In all relationships, willingness to “opt in” is a crucial first step in establishing trust. In nature, willingness emerges when the promise of benefit outweighs the potential cost of engaging. Animals make these calculations constantly, especially in potentially vulnerable situations —like cleaner fish that approach large potential predators to offer grooming services, trusting that the gain of food exceeds the risk of harm. Their choice is shaped by past interactions and the broader conditions in which extreme scarcity or plentiful abundance tends to encourage greater risk-taking.  

Humans navigate openness to engage in similar ways. Early steps toward establishing trust depend on one’s past experience in similar situations, whether another seems trustworthy, and whether our internal reserves make the risk feel manageable. When environments reduce unnecessary danger and highlight potential benefits, people more readily take initiative, extend trust, and engage openly with others.