Evaluation

• State one CRITICISM of self-disclosure?

  It is highly unlikely that the attractiveness of a potential partner would be reliant purely on the level of self-disclosure that an individual makes.

  • It's more likely that self-disclosure would interact with other considerations (eg level of physical attractiveness) and thus self-disclosure alone is NOT a satisfactory EXPLANATION for attractiveness
• State a criticism of self-disclosure?

  A further criticism concerns the appropriateness of the disclosure

  Sometimes disclosing personal info is inappropriate- may seem 'over the top' on a first date.

  Social norms - exist as to what info is okay to reveal in what situation and at what- more attractive people are sensitive to these norms
• What did DERLEGA find?


  Individuals who violated social rules by revealing over-intimate personal info were viewed unfavourably by potential partners
• Give another criticism of self-disclosure?

  Can be seen as BETA BIASED- ignores obvious gender differences in self-disclosure. Women seen as better communicators & they're more interested in intimate info - men not used to this + so feel threatened by this behaviour
• Elaborate on the SD criticism (beta bias)?


  Equally, as males feel less keen to self-disclose, this could be seen as an UNWILLINGNESS to share by females in turn being INTERPRETED as a sign that the male is NOT attracted to her

  The explanation makes no ACCOUNT OF SUCH COMMUNICATION DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MALES & FEMALES
• What does a beta bias refer to?

  Theories that ignore or minimise sex differences. These theories often ASSUME that the findings from studies using males CAN APPLY EQUALLY TO FEMALES
• Another criticism of self-disclosure is ...?

  Takes no account of CULTURAL DIFFERENCES. The prediction that increasing depth& breadth of self-disclosures will lead to a more satisfying & intimate romantic relationship is NOT TRUE TO ALL CULTURES
• Research by TANG 2013 to highlight that self-disclosure ignores cultural differences ?


  TANG reviewed research regarding sexual self-disclosure and concluded that people in USA (individualistic) disclose SIGNIFICANTLY MORE sexual thoughts & feelings than people in CHINA (collectivist)

  The theory is clearly ETHNOCENTRIC and we CANNOT GENERALISE FINDINGS FROM THE WEST TO OTHER CULTURES