A01

• Self-disclosure refers to the information we choose to reveal about ourselves within a romantic relationship.
• The aim of self-disclosure is to increase the intimacy, understanding and empathy between 2 individuals. This is under the condition that self-disclosure is reciprocal.
• Altman and Taylor have proposed the "social penetration" theory, which suggests that the process of self-disclosure allows one to penetrate deeper into the life of their partner, thus increasing intimacy and trust. However, its important to be selective with what one chooses to disclose.
• The researchers have used an onion analogy to illustrate this. As the relationship progresses, more layers of the onion are removed, representing deeper and more meaningful information being disclosed. This is only likely to happen if the exchange of information is reciprocal. Such exchanges represents a stage in the relationship which is serious and characterised by trust.
• Revealing intimate details about oneself at the beginning of a relationship may have detrimental effects e.g. revealing too much information. This demonstrates to the other person that at east one person in the relationship does not trust the other.
• Reis and Shaver (1988) suggest that there are 2 elements of the social penetration theory - depth and breadth. There is a positive correlation between increasing quality and trust within a relationship, coinciding with increasing depth and breadth of revealed information.
• For example, high levels of breadth result in low levels of depth due to many topics being "off limits", thus reducing the emotional impact and empathy shown by the other person. This is the kind of information we would disclose to strangers, colleagues etc.
• Therefore, the key to maintaining a developing and intimate relationship is a balance between depth and breadth, through the reciprocal self-disclosure of information from both parties.