Self - Disclosure

• Define self-disclosure

  Proccess of deliberately revealing significant information about oneself that would not normally be known by others
• How does self-disclosure involve risk?

  • Other gains additional power
  • Other can share revealed info with others
  • Other can reject or dissaprove of you
• Define social penetration theory

  Reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners in order to gain a greater understanding of one another.
• What was Sprecher et al (2013) study about?


  The effects of reprocity self-dislosure vs. non-reprocity self-disclosure on liking initial encounters.
• What did Sprecher et al (2013) conclude in her study?


  Relationships are much closer and more satisfied when partners take turns to self-disclose (i.e. disclosure is reciprocated)
• Whats real world application toward self-disclosure?

  Romantic partners self-disclose to increase intimacy and strengthen their bond.

  Hass & Stafford (1998) found that 57% of homosexual men and women used self-disclosure to deepen their relationships.

  If less skilled partners learned how to self-disclose this could bring them benefits to their relationship.
• What are the limitations of self-disclosure?

  1. Research is correlational.

  correlation does not equal causation, research could be affeced by a third variable.

  2. Cultural differences

  Nu Tang et al (2013) Individualist culture (USA) self-disclose significantly more deeper thoughts and feelings than the collectivist culture (China) whereas their levels of satisfaction did not differ.

  (not generalisable to other cultures)
• What is the 'Breadth and depth' of self-disclosure? (Altman & Taylor)


  What little we reveal about ourselves at the start of the relationship is 'on the surface' (e.g. little depth and breadth) and is low risk information.

  As the relationship grows so does the breadth and depth of self-disclosure (its like an onion)