Self Disclosure

• Self Disclosure


  People who share information are more liked, showing trust
• Social Penetration Theory - Altman + Taylor


  Suggests interpersonal communications breadth and depth increase from shallow to intimate, dependent on relationship and self-disclosure levels
• Reciprocity


  Both individuals have to be actively disclosing appropriately
• Attributions


  Motivations behind self disclosure, disclosing lots of information immediately can be seen as unattractive
• Appropriateness


  Breaking social norms or revealing information too early has opposite reactions, lowering attraction
• (+) A03: Sprecher + Hendrick (2004)

  Observed couples self-disclosure, both genders seemed to have similar levels and a positive correlation was found between disclosure and satisfaction
• (-) A03: Correlational


  No causal link between disclosure and satisfaction, there may be a 3rd factor involved such as shared interest causing disclosure or satisfaction
• (-) A03: Alpha Bias


  Generally argued that women disclose more than men, creating an alpha bias between genders, due to wanting to portray trust more