Self-disclosure

• Revealing personal information about yourself- e.g. thoughts, feelings and experiences. 

  More disclosure = greater feelings of intimacy

  Jourard (1971) was the first to use this term and showed its important role in the dvpt of romantic relationships.
• AO1 - Social Penetration Theory

  Self disclosure is a major concept within social penetration theory.

  • It is the gradual process of revealing your inner self to someone.
  • In romantic relationships it involves the reciprocal exchange of information between partners.

  What does it show to someone if you self-disclose?

  • When you reveal, it displays trust, to go further the partner must also reveal sensitive information.
  • You gain a greater understanding of each other.
• AO1 - Self-disclosure given/ self disclosure receive

  The level of self disclosure received in a romantic relationship was a usually better predictor of liking and loving than the level of disclosure given.

  Sprecher et al (2013):

  • Self disclosure positively correlated to relationship 

  stability.

  • Studied 50 dating couples.
  • Found that the degree of disclosure was predictive of whether couples stayed together for longer than 4 years.
• AO1 - Types of self disclosure

  It is the type of information disclose that predicts relationship satisfaction.

  What does it mean?

  Sprecher (1987):

  Disclosure of personal disappointment and accomplishments as well as previous sexual relationships have a greater influence on relationship satisfaction than more “neutral” information.
• A01-Key study: Sprecher et al. (2013)

  Procedure: 

  -156 graduate US students

  -Paired into two-person dyads to take part in a Skype self-disclosure task.

  -2/3 of the dyads were female-female and 1/3 were male-female.

  2 conditions:

  Reciprocal condition: dyad members took turns asking questions and disclosing.

  Non-reciprocal condition: one person asked questions while the other one disclosed, then they switched roles ( extended reciprocity).
• A01-Key study: Sprecher et al. (2013)

  Findings

  In the reciprocal condition, assessments of liking, closeness,

  perceived similarity and enjoyment were higher than assessments made after the first and second non-reciprocal interactions.

  = turn-talking self-disclosure is more likely to lead to positive interpersonal outcomes than extended reciprocity.
• AO3 Cultural differences in patterns of self-disclosure

  In the West: people engage with more intimate self-disclosure. 

  Example: Americans disclose more than Chinese and Japanese (Chen, 1995)

  Cultural norms also shape how comfortable men and women are self-disclosing

  Examples:

  • Japanese women prefer a low-level of personal conversation than Japanese men (Nakanishi, 1986)
  • Western women disclose more than Western men
• A03 Real-life application

  • Self-disclosure can help people who want to improve communication.
  • Can increase intimacy and strengthen bond.

  Hass and Stafford (1998) found 57% of gay men and women in their study said open and honest disclosure was how they maintained their relationships.
• AO3 Support from research

  • Sprecher and Hendrick (2004) studied heterosexual dating couples and found strong correlations between measures of satisfaction and self-disclosure.
  • More satisfied and committed to the relationship.

  Laurenceau et al (2005) used a method involving writing daily diary entries. Found self-disclosure and the perception of self disclosure in a partner was linked to higher levels of intimacy.