A model of the generation of initial trusting attitudes toward groups by individuals who were not members of those groups was developed from the literature on interpersonal trust. The model proposed that perceptions of situational threat would be preconditions to the saliency of trust as a concept. Given that trust was a salient concept, the model predicted that competence, motivation, and openness would serve as independent determinants of trusting attitudes. A test of the model involving 319 college students provided support for the model. Under conditions of high threat, each of the three factors predicted variation in trusting attitudes and no significant interaction effects were observed. Under conditions of low threat, manipulation of the three variables made no difference in determining trusting attitudes. The findings show that initial trust of groups in threatening situations can be predicted from perceptions of competence, motivation, and openness. (FL)