Et Tu, Brute? Unraveling the puzzle of deception and broken trust in close relations.

The article examines why trust can be broken in close social relationships despite the better information access these relationships typically provide, focusing on embeddedness theory and relational work theory. It identifies two key factors that undermine the expected benefits of information access: detection errors, which hinder accurate observation and interpretation of partners' behavior, and associational dilemmas, which create barriers to reporting and punishing deception within social networks. These factors can foster opportunistic relational work that creates a false appearance of shared meanings and trust, leading to "illusory solidarity," where partners maintain relationships despite recognized betrayals. The article highlights the need for further research on how these dynamics operate across various social and economic contexts and their implications for understanding exploitation and trust in close relationships.