Factors affection attraction : self disclosure

• What is the main focus of Chapter 5 in the study material?

  Factors affecting attraction in romantic relationships
• What does self-disclosure refer to in the context of relationships?

  Revealing intimate information to another person
• Give an example of self-disclosure in a relationship.

  Revealing your likes, dislikes, hopes, and fears
• Why do most people avoid disclosing too much too soon?

  To prevent overwhelming the other person
• How does self-disclosure contribute to the development of a relationship?

  It plays an important role in building intimacy and trust
• What does social penetration theory describe?

  A gradual process of revealing your inner self to someone else
• What does revealing personal information signify in a relationship?

  It is a sign of trust
• What happens as romantic partners increasingly disclose information?

  They gain a greater understanding of each other
• What are the two key aspects of self-disclosure according to social penetration theory?

  Breadth and depth
• Why is breadth narrow at the start of a relationship?

  Too much information may be off-putting
• What does depth of self-disclosure refer to?

  Revealing more intimate information over time
• How is self-disclosure compared to an onion in Altman and Taylor's metaphor?

  It has layers from the surface down to the inner core
• What do Reis and Shaver (1988) suggest about self-disclosure?

  There must be reciprocity for a relationship to develop
• What is necessary for successful relationships according to Reis and Shaver?

  Disclosure from one partner received sensitively by the other
• What are the strengths of self-disclosure in romantic relationships?

  • Supported by research studies (e.g., Sprecher and Hendrick)
  • Correlation between self-disclosure and relationship satisfaction
  • Real-life applications for improving relationships (e.g., Hass and Stafford)
• What did Sprecher and Hendrick (2004) find about self-disclosure?

  Strong correlations between satisfaction and self-disclosure in couples
• What percentage of gay men and women reported that self-disclosure was a maintenance strategy according to Hass and Stafford (1998)?

  57%
• What limitation did Tang et al (2013) find regarding self-disclosure?

  It does not apply to all cultures
• How do self-disclosure patterns differ between individualist and collectivist cultures?

  US individuals disclose more sexual thoughts than those in China
• What is a limitation of self-disclosure related to relationship breakdown?

  It can be characterized by a reduction in self-disclosure
• What does Duck’s (2007) phase model suggest about self-disclosure during relationship breakdown?

  Couples often discuss their relationship in detail
• What is a final limitation of research on self-disclosure?

  Much of the research is correlational
• What does a positive correlation between self-disclosure and satisfaction imply?

  It does not imply a causal relationship
• What are the limitations of self-disclosure in romantic relationships?

  • Not applicable to all cultures
  • Linked to relationship breakdown
  • Much research is correlational, not causal