Book Notes

• Strength: Support form research studies?


  • Sprecher and Hendrick (2004) - strong correlation between several measures of satisfaction and self-disclosure in hetero couples
  • Men and women who used SD and those who believed their partners also disclosed = more satisfied with and committed to their romantic relationship
  • Supports concept of SD being a key component of committed romantic relationships
• Strength: Real-life application?

  • Hass and Stafford (98) - 57% of gay men and women - open and honest SD was a maintenance strategy
  • Couples used to 'small talk' can be encouraged to increase SD in order to deepen their own relationships
  • Highlights: Importance of SD and suggests - theory can be used to support people having relationship problems
• Limitation: doesn't apply to all cultures?

  • Tang et al (2013) concluded - people in the US disclose significantly more sexual thoughts and feelings than people in China - collectivist culture
  • Both levels of SD are linked to relationship satisfaction in those cultures - the pattern of SD is different
  • Social penetration theory - limited explanation of romantic relationship - not necessarily generalisable to other cultures
• Limitation: SD is linked to relationship breakdown?


  • Sometimes breakdown of relationship is characterised by a reduction in SD - not always the case
  • Duck's (2007) phase model of the breakdown of relationships- couples often discuss their relationship with each other in intimate detail - this may not be sufficient to save the relationship
  • Suggests: increased SD may not always lead to positive developments in a relationship
• Limitation: Much of the research is correlational?


  • Studies such as Sprecher and Hendrick (2004) - a positive correlation between SD and satisfaction
  • However - can't assume the relationship is a casual one
  • Suggests: such research provides only limited support for the theory