A process of communication by which one person reveals info about themselves to another
Social penetration theory
Breadth and depth. As both breadth and depth increases, romantic partners become more committed to each other. Types of info are low risk and high risk info
Reciprocity of Self Disclosure
Once you have decided to disclose something that reveals your true strength then hopefully the partner will respond in a similar way, acting as reward. The key here is balance within the relationship
Support for self disclosure being derived from social penetration
Psychologists studied heterosexual relationships and found positive correlations between measures of satisfaction and levels of disclosure. Stating that self disclosure is an important factor in relationships
An issue with relationships research
The most support for self disclosure comes from correlational research. Here, cause and effect can't be established and therefore affects the validity of the concept. Questioning the link between self disclosure and relationship satisfaction
Issues and Debates
Culture - it has to be universal as some cultures differ
