The effectiveness of teaching strategies that are generically labelled as cooperative learning (CL) is mainly analyzed in terms of motor, motivational or social benefits, measured at the end of CL units. However, few studies have quantitatively examined the processes that are inherent to the cooperative relationships between pupils. The aim of this exploratory study was to characterize the processes of construction of trust judgements by pupils in dyadic cooperative interactions during climbing lessons. The building of mutual trust is indeed a fundamental aspect of human cooperation. This study was carried out referring to the ?course of action? theoretical and methodological framework. Two middle school pupils in eighth grade participated in this study. They formed fixed dyads based on personal affinities. In every climbing task they cooperated alternately as a climber and insurer. Their behaviours and communications were recorded on video. After each session they participated in self-confrontation interviews. The elements involved in the construction of trust judgements of the climber toward the insurer were identified, and the evolutions of this judgement were characterized in relation to the modes of cooperation between pupils. The results show that the climbers trust judgement focused on two dimensions of the insurers activity: reliability of the belay and of his advice to succeed in the task. The building of these trust judgements combined the climbers knowledge about his insurer and event interpretation occurring in the context of the class during the insurer-climber cooperation. Results show the existence of a relationship between the development of each students trust judgements toward his partner, and the positive and negative dynamics of cooperation between students.

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