3.2: The factors affecting attraction - Self-disclosure

Question 1

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks)

Answer 1

Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person

Question 2

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973)

Answer 2

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure

Question 3

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals

Answer 3

Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not

Question 4

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
What does this involve?

Answer 4

This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same

Question 5

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time,

Answer 5

Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another

Question 6

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor

Answer 6

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth

Question 7

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase,

Answer 7

As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another

Question 8

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another.
Altman and Taylor

Answer 8

Altman and Taylor refer to this process having many layers, with us disclosing lots of information about ourselves at the start, but this being mostly superficial and low-risk information that we would normally reveal to those around our social circle

Question 9

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another.
Altman and Taylor refer to this process having many layers, with us disclosing lots of information about ourselves at the start, but this being mostly superficial and low-risk information that we would normally reveal to those around our social circle.
The breadth of topics we discuss

Answer 9

The breadth of topics we discuss is narrow at this point, because revealing too much at this point could threaten the relationship, as the other person feels put off before the relationship has any chance to establish itself

Question 10

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another.
Altman and Taylor refer to this process having many layers, with us disclosing lots of information about ourselves at the start, but this being mostly superficial and low-risk information that we would normally reveal to those around our social circle.
The breadth of topics we discuss is narrow at this point, because revealing too much at this point could threaten the relationship, as the other person feels put off before the relationship has any chance to establish itself.

Answer 10

Moderate levels of self-disclosure in the early stages are seen as most effective, as Derlaga et al. (1979) suggest that the listener should know them better without the information being too personal

Question 11

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another.
Altman and Taylor refer to this process having many layers, with us disclosing lots of information about ourselves at the start, but this being mostly superficial and low-risk information that we would normally reveal to those around our social circle.
The breadth of topics we discuss is narrow at this point, because revealing too much at this point could threaten the relationship, as the other person feels put off before the relationship has any chance to establish itself.
Moderate levels of self-disclosure in the early stages are seen as most effective, as Derlaga et al. (1979) suggest that the listener should know them better without the information being too personal.

As the relationship develops,

Answer 11

As the relationship develops, self-disclosure becomes deeper, progressing through the many layers to reveal our true inner selves, allowing individuals to talk about a wider range of topics of greater meaning to each

Question 12

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another.
Altman and Taylor refer to this process having many layers, with us disclosing lots of information about ourselves at the start, but this being mostly superficial and low-risk information that we would normally reveal to those around our social circle.
The breadth of topics we discuss is narrow at this point, because revealing too much at this point could threaten the relationship, as the other person feels put off before the relationship has any chance to establish itself.
Moderate levels of self-disclosure in the early stages are seen as most effective, as Derlaga et al. (1979) suggest that the listener should know them better without the information being too personal.

As the relationship develops, self-disclosure becomes deeper, progressing through the many layers to reveal our true inner selves, allowing individuals to talk about a wider range of topics of greater meaning to each.
At this point,

Answer 12

At this point, people are able to reveal intimate high-risk information, memories and experiences, as well as secrets and strongly held beliefs

Question 13

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another.
Altman and Taylor refer to this process having many layers, with us disclosing lots of information about ourselves at the start, but this being mostly superficial and low-risk information that we would normally reveal to those around our social circle.
The breadth of topics we discuss is narrow at this point, because revealing too much at this point could threaten the relationship, as the other person feels put off before the relationship has any chance to establish itself.
Moderate levels of self-disclosure in the early stages are seen as most effective, as Derlaga et al. (1979) suggest that the listener should know them better without the information being too personal.

As the relationship develops, self-disclosure becomes deeper, progressing through the many layers to reveal our true inner selves, allowing individuals to talk about a wider range of topics of greater meaning to each.
At this point, people are able to reveal intimate high-risk information, memories and experiences, as well as secrets and strongly held beliefs.
Reis and Shaver (1988)

Answer 13

Reis and Shaver (1988) believed reciprocity in self-disclosure as key for the relationship to increase in breadth and depth

Question 14

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another.
Altman and Taylor refer to this process having many layers, with us disclosing lots of information about ourselves at the start, but this being mostly superficial and low-risk information that we would normally reveal to those around our social circle.
The breadth of topics we discuss is narrow at this point, because revealing too much at this point could threaten the relationship, as the other person feels put off before the relationship has any chance to establish itself.
Moderate levels of self-disclosure in the early stages are seen as most effective, as Derlaga et al. (1979) suggest that the listener should know them better without the information being too personal.

As the relationship develops, self-disclosure becomes deeper, progressing through the many layers to reveal our true inner selves, allowing individuals to talk about a wider range of topics of greater meaning to each.
At this point, people are able to reveal intimate high-risk information, memories and experiences, as well as secrets and strongly held beliefs.
Reis and Shaver (1988) believed reciprocity in self-disclosure as key for the relationship to increase in breadth and depth.
Once an individual

Answer 14

Once an individual discloses something personal, it can be rewarding, as the partner responds with understanding and empathy

Question 15

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another.
Altman and Taylor refer to this process having many layers, with us disclosing lots of information about ourselves at the start, but this being mostly superficial and low-risk information that we would normally reveal to those around our social circle.
The breadth of topics we discuss is narrow at this point, because revealing too much at this point could threaten the relationship, as the other person feels put off before the relationship has any chance to establish itself.
Moderate levels of self-disclosure in the early stages are seen as most effective, as Derlaga et al. (1979) suggest that the listener should know them better without the information being too personal.

As the relationship develops, self-disclosure becomes deeper, progressing through the many layers to reveal our true inner selves, allowing individuals to talk about a wider range of topics of greater meaning to each.
At this point, people are able to reveal intimate high-risk information, memories and experiences, as well as secrets and strongly held beliefs.
Reis and Shaver (1988) believed reciprocity in self-disclosure as key for the relationship to increase in breadth and depth.
Once an individual discloses something personal, it can be rewarding, as the partner responds with understanding and empathy.
What does this do?

Answer 15

This creates a balance in self-disclosure, which increases feelings of intimacy and depth within the relationship

Question 16

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another.
Altman and Taylor refer to this process having many layers, with us disclosing lots of information about ourselves at the start, but this being mostly superficial and low-risk information that we would normally reveal to those around our social circle.
The breadth of topics we discuss is narrow at this point, because revealing too much at this point could threaten the relationship, as the other person feels put off before the relationship has any chance to establish itself.
Moderate levels of self-disclosure in the early stages are seen as most effective, as Derlaga et al. (1979) suggest that the listener should know them better without the information being too personal.

As the relationship develops, self-disclosure becomes deeper, progressing through the many layers to reveal our true inner selves, allowing individuals to talk about a wider range of topics of greater meaning to each.
At this point, people are able to reveal intimate high-risk information, memories and experiences, as well as secrets and strongly held beliefs.
Reis and Shaver (1988) believed reciprocity in self-disclosure as key for the relationship to increase in breadth and depth.
Once an individual discloses something personal, it can be rewarding, as the partner responds with understanding and empathy.
This creates a balance in self-disclosure, which increases feelings of intimacy and depth within the relationship.

First AO3 PEEL paragraph

Answer 16

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for self-disclosure

Question 17

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another.
Altman and Taylor refer to this process having many layers, with us disclosing lots of information about ourselves at the start, but this being mostly superficial and low-risk information that we would normally reveal to those around our social circle.
The breadth of topics we discuss is narrow at this point, because revealing too much at this point could threaten the relationship, as the other person feels put off before the relationship has any chance to establish itself.
Moderate levels of self-disclosure in the early stages are seen as most effective, as Derlaga et al. (1979) suggest that the listener should know them better without the information being too personal.

As the relationship develops, self-disclosure becomes deeper, progressing through the many layers to reveal our true inner selves, allowing individuals to talk about a wider range of topics of greater meaning to each.
At this point, people are able to reveal intimate high-risk information, memories and experiences, as well as secrets and strongly held beliefs.
Reis and Shaver (1988) believed reciprocity in self-disclosure as key for the relationship to increase in breadth and depth.
Once an individual discloses something personal, it can be rewarding, as the partner responds with understanding and empathy.
This creates a balance in self-disclosure, which increases feelings of intimacy and depth within the relationship.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for self-disclosure.
Example

Answer 17

For example, Sprecher and Hendrick (2004) studied heterosexual dating couples and found strong correlations between several measures of satisfaction and self-disclosure, both theirs and their partner’s.
Men and women who used self-disclosure and those who believed their partners did likewise were more satisfied with and committed to their romantic relationship

Question 18

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another.
Altman and Taylor refer to this process having many layers, with us disclosing lots of information about ourselves at the start, but this being mostly superficial and low-risk information that we would normally reveal to those around our social circle.
The breadth of topics we discuss is narrow at this point, because revealing too much at this point could threaten the relationship, as the other person feels put off before the relationship has any chance to establish itself.
Moderate levels of self-disclosure in the early stages are seen as most effective, as Derlaga et al. (1979) suggest that the listener should know them better without the information being too personal.

As the relationship develops, self-disclosure becomes deeper, progressing through the many layers to reveal our true inner selves, allowing individuals to talk about a wider range of topics of greater meaning to each.
At this point, people are able to reveal intimate high-risk information, memories and experiences, as well as secrets and strongly held beliefs.
Reis and Shaver (1988) believed reciprocity in self-disclosure as key for the relationship to increase in breadth and depth.
Once an individual discloses something personal, it can be rewarding, as the partner responds with understanding and empathy.
This creates a balance in self-disclosure, which increases feelings of intimacy and depth within the relationship.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for self-disclosure.
For example, Sprecher and Hendrick (2004) studied heterosexual dating couples and found strong correlations between several measures of satisfaction and self-disclosure, both theirs and their partner’s.
Men and women who used self-disclosure and those who believed their partners did likewise were more satisfied with and committed to their romantic relationship.
Who is this further supported by?

Answer 18

This is further supported by Laurenceau et al. (2005), who found that the reverse was also true with less intimate couples self-disclosing less often

Question 19

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another.
Altman and Taylor refer to this process having many layers, with us disclosing lots of information about ourselves at the start, but this being mostly superficial and low-risk information that we would normally reveal to those around our social circle.
The breadth of topics we discuss is narrow at this point, because revealing too much at this point could threaten the relationship, as the other person feels put off before the relationship has any chance to establish itself.
Moderate levels of self-disclosure in the early stages are seen as most effective, as Derlaga et al. (1979) suggest that the listener should know them better without the information being too personal.

As the relationship develops, self-disclosure becomes deeper, progressing through the many layers to reveal our true inner selves, allowing individuals to talk about a wider range of topics of greater meaning to each.
At this point, people are able to reveal intimate high-risk information, memories and experiences, as well as secrets and strongly held beliefs.
Reis and Shaver (1988) believed reciprocity in self-disclosure as key for the relationship to increase in breadth and depth.
Once an individual discloses something personal, it can be rewarding, as the partner responds with understanding and empathy.
This creates a balance in self-disclosure, which increases feelings of intimacy and depth within the relationship.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for self-disclosure.
For example, Sprecher and Hendrick (2004) studied heterosexual dating couples and found strong correlations between several measures of satisfaction and self-disclosure, both theirs and their partner’s.
Men and women who used self-disclosure and those who believed their partners did likewise were more satisfied with and committed to their romantic relationship.
This is further supported by Laurenceau et al. (2005), who found that the reverse was also true with less intimate couples self-disclosing less often.
What does this suggest?

Answer 19

This suggests that self-disclosure is a valid factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships

Question 20

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another.
Altman and Taylor refer to this process having many layers, with us disclosing lots of information about ourselves at the start, but this being mostly superficial and low-risk information that we would normally reveal to those around our social circle.
The breadth of topics we discuss is narrow at this point, because revealing too much at this point could threaten the relationship, as the other person feels put off before the relationship has any chance to establish itself.
Moderate levels of self-disclosure in the early stages are seen as most effective, as Derlaga et al. (1979) suggest that the listener should know them better without the information being too personal.

As the relationship develops, self-disclosure becomes deeper, progressing through the many layers to reveal our true inner selves, allowing individuals to talk about a wider range of topics of greater meaning to each.
At this point, people are able to reveal intimate high-risk information, memories and experiences, as well as secrets and strongly held beliefs.
Reis and Shaver (1988) believed reciprocity in self-disclosure as key for the relationship to increase in breadth and depth.
Once an individual discloses something personal, it can be rewarding, as the partner responds with understanding and empathy.
This creates a balance in self-disclosure, which increases feelings of intimacy and depth within the relationship.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for self-disclosure.
For example, Sprecher and Hendrick (2004) studied heterosexual dating couples and found strong correlations between several measures of satisfaction and self-disclosure, both theirs and their partner’s.
Men and women who used self-disclosure and those who believed their partners did likewise were more satisfied with and committed to their romantic relationship.
This is further supported by Laurenceau et al. (2005), who found that the reverse was also true with less intimate couples self-disclosing less often.
This suggests that self-disclosure is a valid factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships.

Second AO3 PEEL paragraph

Answer 20

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that However, self-disclosure has limited validity, as it only applies to heterosexual couples or Western society, because it has not been been derived from same-sex relationships or across cultures

Question 21

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another.
Altman and Taylor refer to this process having many layers, with us disclosing lots of information about ourselves at the start, but this being mostly superficial and low-risk information that we would normally reveal to those around our social circle.
The breadth of topics we discuss is narrow at this point, because revealing too much at this point could threaten the relationship, as the other person feels put off before the relationship has any chance to establish itself.
Moderate levels of self-disclosure in the early stages are seen as most effective, as Derlaga et al. (1979) suggest that the listener should know them better without the information being too personal.

As the relationship develops, self-disclosure becomes deeper, progressing through the many layers to reveal our true inner selves, allowing individuals to talk about a wider range of topics of greater meaning to each.
At this point, people are able to reveal intimate high-risk information, memories and experiences, as well as secrets and strongly held beliefs.
Reis and Shaver (1988) believed reciprocity in self-disclosure as key for the relationship to increase in breadth and depth.
Once an individual discloses something personal, it can be rewarding, as the partner responds with understanding and empathy.
This creates a balance in self-disclosure, which increases feelings of intimacy and depth within the relationship.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for self-disclosure.
For example, Sprecher and Hendrick (2004) studied heterosexual dating couples and found strong correlations between several measures of satisfaction and self-disclosure, both theirs and their partner’s.
Men and women who used self-disclosure and those who believed their partners did likewise were more satisfied with and committed to their romantic relationship.
This is further supported by Laurenceau et al. (2005), who found that the reverse was also true with less intimate couples self-disclosing less often.
This suggests that self-disclosure is a valid factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships.

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that However, self-disclosure has limited validity, as it only applies to heterosexual couples or Western society, because it has not been been derived from same-sex relationships or across cultures.
The prediction

Answer 21

The prediction that self-disclosure leads to a more satisfying and intimate relationship is not always true across all cultures, as it depends on the type of self-disclosure being shared

Question 22

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another.
Altman and Taylor refer to this process having many layers, with us disclosing lots of information about ourselves at the start, but this being mostly superficial and low-risk information that we would normally reveal to those around our social circle.
The breadth of topics we discuss is narrow at this point, because revealing too much at this point could threaten the relationship, as the other person feels put off before the relationship has any chance to establish itself.
Moderate levels of self-disclosure in the early stages are seen as most effective, as Derlaga et al. (1979) suggest that the listener should know them better without the information being too personal.

As the relationship develops, self-disclosure becomes deeper, progressing through the many layers to reveal our true inner selves, allowing individuals to talk about a wider range of topics of greater meaning to each.
At this point, people are able to reveal intimate high-risk information, memories and experiences, as well as secrets and strongly held beliefs.
Reis and Shaver (1988) believed reciprocity in self-disclosure as key for the relationship to increase in breadth and depth.
Once an individual discloses something personal, it can be rewarding, as the partner responds with understanding and empathy.
This creates a balance in self-disclosure, which increases feelings of intimacy and depth within the relationship.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for self-disclosure.
For example, Sprecher and Hendrick (2004) studied heterosexual dating couples and found strong correlations between several measures of satisfaction and self-disclosure, both theirs and their partner’s.
Men and women who used self-disclosure and those who believed their partners did likewise were more satisfied with and committed to their romantic relationship.
This is further supported by Laurenceau et al. (2005), who found that the reverse was also true with less intimate couples self-disclosing less often.
This suggests that self-disclosure is a valid factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships.

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that However, self-disclosure has limited validity, as it only applies to heterosexual couples or Western society, because it has not been been derived from same-sex relationships or across cultures.
The prediction that self-disclosure leads to a more satisfying and intimate relationship is not always true across all cultures, as it depends on the type of self-disclosure being shared.
Example

Answer 22

For example, Tang et al. (2013) found sexual self-disclosure within relationships was more open in western cultures (USA), than it was in collectivist cultures, such as China

Question 23

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another.
Altman and Taylor refer to this process having many layers, with us disclosing lots of information about ourselves at the start, but this being mostly superficial and low-risk information that we would normally reveal to those around our social circle.
The breadth of topics we discuss is narrow at this point, because revealing too much at this point could threaten the relationship, as the other person feels put off before the relationship has any chance to establish itself.
Moderate levels of self-disclosure in the early stages are seen as most effective, as Derlaga et al. (1979) suggest that the listener should know them better without the information being too personal.

As the relationship develops, self-disclosure becomes deeper, progressing through the many layers to reveal our true inner selves, allowing individuals to talk about a wider range of topics of greater meaning to each.
At this point, people are able to reveal intimate high-risk information, memories and experiences, as well as secrets and strongly held beliefs.
Reis and Shaver (1988) believed reciprocity in self-disclosure as key for the relationship to increase in breadth and depth.
Once an individual discloses something personal, it can be rewarding, as the partner responds with understanding and empathy.
This creates a balance in self-disclosure, which increases feelings of intimacy and depth within the relationship.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for self-disclosure.
For example, Sprecher and Hendrick (2004) studied heterosexual dating couples and found strong correlations between several measures of satisfaction and self-disclosure, both theirs and their partner’s.
Men and women who used self-disclosure and those who believed their partners did likewise were more satisfied with and committed to their romantic relationship.
This is further supported by Laurenceau et al. (2005), who found that the reverse was also true with less intimate couples self-disclosing less often.
This suggests that self-disclosure is a valid factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships.

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that However, self-disclosure has limited validity, as it only applies to heterosexual couples or Western society, because it has not been been derived from same-sex relationships or across cultures.
The prediction that self-disclosure leads to a more satisfying and intimate relationship is not always true across all cultures, as it depends on the type of self-disclosure being shared.
For example, Tang et al. (2013) found sexual self-disclosure within relationships was more open in western cultures (USA), than it was in collectivist cultures, such as China.

Answer 23

Cultural norms shape patterns of self-disclosure and more intimate disclosures leading to more satisfied relationships may only be limited to Western relationships because of this

Question 24

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another.
Altman and Taylor refer to this process having many layers, with us disclosing lots of information about ourselves at the start, but this being mostly superficial and low-risk information that we would normally reveal to those around our social circle.
The breadth of topics we discuss is narrow at this point, because revealing too much at this point could threaten the relationship, as the other person feels put off before the relationship has any chance to establish itself.
Moderate levels of self-disclosure in the early stages are seen as most effective, as Derlaga et al. (1979) suggest that the listener should know them better without the information being too personal.

As the relationship develops, self-disclosure becomes deeper, progressing through the many layers to reveal our true inner selves, allowing individuals to talk about a wider range of topics of greater meaning to each.
At this point, people are able to reveal intimate high-risk information, memories and experiences, as well as secrets and strongly held beliefs.
Reis and Shaver (1988) believed reciprocity in self-disclosure as key for the relationship to increase in breadth and depth.
Once an individual discloses something personal, it can be rewarding, as the partner responds with understanding and empathy.
This creates a balance in self-disclosure, which increases feelings of intimacy and depth within the relationship.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for self-disclosure.
For example, Sprecher and Hendrick (2004) studied heterosexual dating couples and found strong correlations between several measures of satisfaction and self-disclosure, both theirs and their partner’s.
Men and women who used self-disclosure and those who believed their partners did likewise were more satisfied with and committed to their romantic relationship.
This is further supported by Laurenceau et al. (2005), who found that the reverse was also true with less intimate couples self-disclosing less often.
This suggests that self-disclosure is a valid factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships.

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that However, self-disclosure has limited validity, as it only applies to heterosexual couples or Western society, because it has not been been derived from same-sex relationships or across cultures.
The prediction that self-disclosure leads to a more satisfying and intimate relationship is not always true across all cultures, as it depends on the type of self-disclosure being shared.
For example, Tang et al. (2013) found sexual self-disclosure within relationships was more open in western cultures (USA), than it was in collectivist cultures, such as China.
Cultural norms shape patterns of self-disclosure and more intimate disclosures leading to more satisfied relationships may only be limited to Western relationships because of this.
Who is this further supported by?

Answer 24

This is further supported by Nakanishi (1986), who found that Japanese women preferred a lower level of conversation than Japanese men, which is the opposite of self-disclosure patterns in Western society

Question 25

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another.
Altman and Taylor refer to this process having many layers, with us disclosing lots of information about ourselves at the start, but this being mostly superficial and low-risk information that we would normally reveal to those around our social circle.
The breadth of topics we discuss is narrow at this point, because revealing too much at this point could threaten the relationship, as the other person feels put off before the relationship has any chance to establish itself.
Moderate levels of self-disclosure in the early stages are seen as most effective, as Derlaga et al. (1979) suggest that the listener should know them better without the information being too personal.

As the relationship develops, self-disclosure becomes deeper, progressing through the many layers to reveal our true inner selves, allowing individuals to talk about a wider range of topics of greater meaning to each.
At this point, people are able to reveal intimate high-risk information, memories and experiences, as well as secrets and strongly held beliefs.
Reis and Shaver (1988) believed reciprocity in self-disclosure as key for the relationship to increase in breadth and depth.
Once an individual discloses something personal, it can be rewarding, as the partner responds with understanding and empathy.
This creates a balance in self-disclosure, which increases feelings of intimacy and depth within the relationship.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for self-disclosure.
For example, Sprecher and Hendrick (2004) studied heterosexual dating couples and found strong correlations between several measures of satisfaction and self-disclosure, both theirs and their partner’s.
Men and women who used self-disclosure and those who believed their partners did likewise were more satisfied with and committed to their romantic relationship.
This is further supported by Laurenceau et al. (2005), who found that the reverse was also true with less intimate couples self-disclosing less often.
This suggests that self-disclosure is a valid factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships.

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that However, self-disclosure has limited validity, as it only applies to heterosexual couples or Western society, because it has not been been derived from same-sex relationships or across cultures.
The prediction that self-disclosure leads to a more satisfying and intimate relationship is not always true across all cultures, as it depends on the type of self-disclosure being shared.
For example, Tang et al. (2013) found sexual self-disclosure within relationships was more open in western cultures (USA), than it was in collectivist cultures, such as China.
Cultural norms shape patterns of self-disclosure and more intimate disclosures leading to more satisfied relationships may only be limited to Western relationships because of this.
This is further supported by Nakanishi (1986), who found that Japanese women preferred a lower level of conversation than Japanese men, which is the opposite of self-disclosure patterns in Western society.
What does this suggest?

Answer 25

This suggests that the importance of self-disclosure as an aspect of attraction is moderated by the influence of culture

Question 26

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another.
Altman and Taylor refer to this process having many layers, with us disclosing lots of information about ourselves at the start, but this being mostly superficial and low-risk information that we would normally reveal to those around our social circle.
The breadth of topics we discuss is narrow at this point, because revealing too much at this point could threaten the relationship, as the other person feels put off before the relationship has any chance to establish itself.
Moderate levels of self-disclosure in the early stages are seen as most effective, as Derlaga et al. (1979) suggest that the listener should know them better without the information being too personal.

As the relationship develops, self-disclosure becomes deeper, progressing through the many layers to reveal our true inner selves, allowing individuals to talk about a wider range of topics of greater meaning to each.
At this point, people are able to reveal intimate high-risk information, memories and experiences, as well as secrets and strongly held beliefs.
Reis and Shaver (1988) believed reciprocity in self-disclosure as key for the relationship to increase in breadth and depth.
Once an individual discloses something personal, it can be rewarding, as the partner responds with understanding and empathy.
This creates a balance in self-disclosure, which increases feelings of intimacy and depth within the relationship.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for self-disclosure.
For example, Sprecher and Hendrick (2004) studied heterosexual dating couples and found strong correlations between several measures of satisfaction and self-disclosure, both theirs and their partner’s.
Men and women who used self-disclosure and those who believed their partners did likewise were more satisfied with and committed to their romantic relationship.
This is further supported by Laurenceau et al. (2005), who found that the reverse was also true with less intimate couples self-disclosing less often.
This suggests that self-disclosure is a valid factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships.

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that However, self-disclosure has limited validity, as it only applies to heterosexual couples or Western society, because it has not been been derived from same-sex relationships or across cultures.
The prediction that self-disclosure leads to a more satisfying and intimate relationship is not always true across all cultures, as it depends on the type of self-disclosure being shared.
For example, Tang et al. (2013) found sexual self-disclosure within relationships was more open in western cultures (USA), than it was in collectivist cultures, such as China.
Cultural norms shape patterns of self-disclosure and more intimate disclosures leading to more satisfied relationships may only be limited to Western relationships because of this.
This is further supported by Nakanishi (1986), who found that Japanese women preferred a lower level of conversation than Japanese men, which is the opposite of self-disclosure patterns in Western society.
This suggests that the importance of self-disclosure as an aspect of attraction is moderated by the influence of culture.

Third AO3 PEEL paragraph

Answer 26

The third AO3 PEEL paragraph is that this makes theories into self-disclosure such as social penetration theory biased and more suited for Western cultures

Question 27

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another.
Altman and Taylor refer to this process having many layers, with us disclosing lots of information about ourselves at the start, but this being mostly superficial and low-risk information that we would normally reveal to those around our social circle.
The breadth of topics we discuss is narrow at this point, because revealing too much at this point could threaten the relationship, as the other person feels put off before the relationship has any chance to establish itself.
Moderate levels of self-disclosure in the early stages are seen as most effective, as Derlaga et al. (1979) suggest that the listener should know them better without the information being too personal.

As the relationship develops, self-disclosure becomes deeper, progressing through the many layers to reveal our true inner selves, allowing individuals to talk about a wider range of topics of greater meaning to each.
At this point, people are able to reveal intimate high-risk information, memories and experiences, as well as secrets and strongly held beliefs.
Reis and Shaver (1988) believed reciprocity in self-disclosure as key for the relationship to increase in breadth and depth.
Once an individual discloses something personal, it can be rewarding, as the partner responds with understanding and empathy.
This creates a balance in self-disclosure, which increases feelings of intimacy and depth within the relationship.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for self-disclosure.
For example, Sprecher and Hendrick (2004) studied heterosexual dating couples and found strong correlations between several measures of satisfaction and self-disclosure, both theirs and their partner’s.
Men and women who used self-disclosure and those who believed their partners did likewise were more satisfied with and committed to their romantic relationship.
This is further supported by Laurenceau et al. (2005), who found that the reverse was also true with less intimate couples self-disclosing less often.
This suggests that self-disclosure is a valid factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships.

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that However, self-disclosure has limited validity, as it only applies to heterosexual couples or Western society, because it has not been been derived from same-sex relationships or across cultures.
The prediction that self-disclosure leads to a more satisfying and intimate relationship is not always true across all cultures, as it depends on the type of self-disclosure being shared.
For example, Tang et al. (2013) found sexual self-disclosure within relationships was more open in western cultures (USA), than it was in collectivist cultures, such as China.
Cultural norms shape patterns of self-disclosure and more intimate disclosures leading to more satisfied relationships may only be limited to Western relationships because of this.
This is further supported by Nakanishi (1986), who found that Japanese women preferred a lower level of conversation than Japanese men, which is the opposite of self-disclosure patterns in Western society.
This suggests that the importance of self-disclosure as an aspect of attraction is moderated by the influence of culture.

The third AO3 PEEL paragraph is that this makes theories into self-disclosure such as social penetration theory biased and more suited for Western cultures.
Although

Answer 27

Although self-disclosure appears an important element within relationships according to correlational data, we cannot say for certain that this is the reason for relationship satisfaction or formation, as we cannot establish cause and effect with correlational data

Question 28

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another.
Altman and Taylor refer to this process having many layers, with us disclosing lots of information about ourselves at the start, but this being mostly superficial and low-risk information that we would normally reveal to those around our social circle.
The breadth of topics we discuss is narrow at this point, because revealing too much at this point could threaten the relationship, as the other person feels put off before the relationship has any chance to establish itself.
Moderate levels of self-disclosure in the early stages are seen as most effective, as Derlaga et al. (1979) suggest that the listener should know them better without the information being too personal.

As the relationship develops, self-disclosure becomes deeper, progressing through the many layers to reveal our true inner selves, allowing individuals to talk about a wider range of topics of greater meaning to each.
At this point, people are able to reveal intimate high-risk information, memories and experiences, as well as secrets and strongly held beliefs.
Reis and Shaver (1988) believed reciprocity in self-disclosure as key for the relationship to increase in breadth and depth.
Once an individual discloses something personal, it can be rewarding, as the partner responds with understanding and empathy.
This creates a balance in self-disclosure, which increases feelings of intimacy and depth within the relationship.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for self-disclosure.
For example, Sprecher and Hendrick (2004) studied heterosexual dating couples and found strong correlations between several measures of satisfaction and self-disclosure, both theirs and their partner’s.
Men and women who used self-disclosure and those who believed their partners did likewise were more satisfied with and committed to their romantic relationship.
This is further supported by Laurenceau et al. (2005), who found that the reverse was also true with less intimate couples self-disclosing less often.
This suggests that self-disclosure is a valid factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships.

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that However, self-disclosure has limited validity, as it only applies to heterosexual couples or Western society, because it has not been been derived from same-sex relationships or across cultures.
The prediction that self-disclosure leads to a more satisfying and intimate relationship is not always true across all cultures, as it depends on the type of self-disclosure being shared.
For example, Tang et al. (2013) found sexual self-disclosure within relationships was more open in western cultures (USA), than it was in collectivist cultures, such as China.
Cultural norms shape patterns of self-disclosure and more intimate disclosures leading to more satisfied relationships may only be limited to Western relationships because of this.
This is further supported by Nakanishi (1986), who found that Japanese women preferred a lower level of conversation than Japanese men, which is the opposite of self-disclosure patterns in Western society.
This suggests that the importance of self-disclosure as an aspect of attraction is moderated by the influence of culture.

The third AO3 PEEL paragraph is that this makes theories into self-disclosure such as social penetration theory biased and more suited for Western cultures.
Although self-disclosure appears an important element within relationships according to correlational data, we cannot say for certain that this is the reason for relationship satisfaction or formation, as we cannot establish cause and effect with correlational data.
Example

Answer 28

For example, it may simply be that more committed relationships, for other reasons, result in more self-disclosure anyway and it is difficult to establish this as the cause

Question 29

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another.
Altman and Taylor refer to this process having many layers, with us disclosing lots of information about ourselves at the start, but this being mostly superficial and low-risk information that we would normally reveal to those around our social circle.
The breadth of topics we discuss is narrow at this point, because revealing too much at this point could threaten the relationship, as the other person feels put off before the relationship has any chance to establish itself.
Moderate levels of self-disclosure in the early stages are seen as most effective, as Derlaga et al. (1979) suggest that the listener should know them better without the information being too personal.

As the relationship develops, self-disclosure becomes deeper, progressing through the many layers to reveal our true inner selves, allowing individuals to talk about a wider range of topics of greater meaning to each.
At this point, people are able to reveal intimate high-risk information, memories and experiences, as well as secrets and strongly held beliefs.
Reis and Shaver (1988) believed reciprocity in self-disclosure as key for the relationship to increase in breadth and depth.
Once an individual discloses something personal, it can be rewarding, as the partner responds with understanding and empathy.
This creates a balance in self-disclosure, which increases feelings of intimacy and depth within the relationship.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for self-disclosure.
For example, Sprecher and Hendrick (2004) studied heterosexual dating couples and found strong correlations between several measures of satisfaction and self-disclosure, both theirs and their partner’s.
Men and women who used self-disclosure and those who believed their partners did likewise were more satisfied with and committed to their romantic relationship.
This is further supported by Laurenceau et al. (2005), who found that the reverse was also true with less intimate couples self-disclosing less often.
This suggests that self-disclosure is a valid factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships.

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that However, self-disclosure has limited validity, as it only applies to heterosexual couples or Western society, because it has not been been derived from same-sex relationships or across cultures.
The prediction that self-disclosure leads to a more satisfying and intimate relationship is not always true across all cultures, as it depends on the type of self-disclosure being shared.
For example, Tang et al. (2013) found sexual self-disclosure within relationships was more open in western cultures (USA), than it was in collectivist cultures, such as China.
Cultural norms shape patterns of self-disclosure and more intimate disclosures leading to more satisfied relationships may only be limited to Western relationships because of this.
This is further supported by Nakanishi (1986), who found that Japanese women preferred a lower level of conversation than Japanese men, which is the opposite of self-disclosure patterns in Western society.
This suggests that the importance of self-disclosure as an aspect of attraction is moderated by the influence of culture.

The third AO3 PEEL paragraph is that this makes theories into self-disclosure such as social penetration theory biased and more suited for Western cultures.
Although self-disclosure appears an important element within relationships according to correlational data, we cannot say for certain that this is the reason for relationship satisfaction or formation, as we cannot establish cause and effect with correlational data.
For example, it may simply be that more committed relationships, for other reasons, result in more self-disclosure anyway and it is difficult to establish this as the cause.
Measuring

Answer 29

Measuring self-disclosure and how it contributes to attraction in real life is difficult, because within test conditions, the findings lack ecological validity

Question 30

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another.
Altman and Taylor refer to this process having many layers, with us disclosing lots of information about ourselves at the start, but this being mostly superficial and low-risk information that we would normally reveal to those around our social circle.
The breadth of topics we discuss is narrow at this point, because revealing too much at this point could threaten the relationship, as the other person feels put off before the relationship has any chance to establish itself.
Moderate levels of self-disclosure in the early stages are seen as most effective, as Derlaga et al. (1979) suggest that the listener should know them better without the information being too personal.

As the relationship develops, self-disclosure becomes deeper, progressing through the many layers to reveal our true inner selves, allowing individuals to talk about a wider range of topics of greater meaning to each.
At this point, people are able to reveal intimate high-risk information, memories and experiences, as well as secrets and strongly held beliefs.
Reis and Shaver (1988) believed reciprocity in self-disclosure as key for the relationship to increase in breadth and depth.
Once an individual discloses something personal, it can be rewarding, as the partner responds with understanding and empathy.
This creates a balance in self-disclosure, which increases feelings of intimacy and depth within the relationship.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for self-disclosure.
For example, Sprecher and Hendrick (2004) studied heterosexual dating couples and found strong correlations between several measures of satisfaction and self-disclosure, both theirs and their partner’s.
Men and women who used self-disclosure and those who believed their partners did likewise were more satisfied with and committed to their romantic relationship.
This is further supported by Laurenceau et al. (2005), who found that the reverse was also true with less intimate couples self-disclosing less often.
This suggests that self-disclosure is a valid factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships.

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that However, self-disclosure has limited validity, as it only applies to heterosexual couples or Western society, because it has not been been derived from same-sex relationships or across cultures.
The prediction that self-disclosure leads to a more satisfying and intimate relationship is not always true across all cultures, as it depends on the type of self-disclosure being shared.
For example, Tang et al. (2013) found sexual self-disclosure within relationships was more open in western cultures (USA), than it was in collectivist cultures, such as China.
Cultural norms shape patterns of self-disclosure and more intimate disclosures leading to more satisfied relationships may only be limited to Western relationships because of this.
This is further supported by Nakanishi (1986), who found that Japanese women preferred a lower level of conversation than Japanese men, which is the opposite of self-disclosure patterns in Western society.
This suggests that the importance of self-disclosure as an aspect of attraction is moderated by the influence of culture.

The third AO3 PEEL paragraph is that this makes theories into self-disclosure such as social penetration theory biased and more suited for Western cultures.
Although self-disclosure appears an important element within relationships according to correlational data, we cannot say for certain that this is the reason for relationship satisfaction or formation, as we cannot establish cause and effect with correlational data.
For example, it may simply be that more committed relationships, for other reasons, result in more self-disclosure anyway and it is difficult to establish this as the cause.
Measuring self-disclosure and how it contributes to attraction in real life is difficult, because within test conditions, the findings lack ecological validity.

Fourth AO3 PEEL paragraph

Answer 30

The fourth AO3 PEEL paragraph is that despite this, research into self-disclosure can help people who want to improve communication in their relationships

Question 31

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another.
Altman and Taylor refer to this process having many layers, with us disclosing lots of information about ourselves at the start, but this being mostly superficial and low-risk information that we would normally reveal to those around our social circle.
The breadth of topics we discuss is narrow at this point, because revealing too much at this point could threaten the relationship, as the other person feels put off before the relationship has any chance to establish itself.
Moderate levels of self-disclosure in the early stages are seen as most effective, as Derlaga et al. (1979) suggest that the listener should know them better without the information being too personal.

As the relationship develops, self-disclosure becomes deeper, progressing through the many layers to reveal our true inner selves, allowing individuals to talk about a wider range of topics of greater meaning to each.
At this point, people are able to reveal intimate high-risk information, memories and experiences, as well as secrets and strongly held beliefs.
Reis and Shaver (1988) believed reciprocity in self-disclosure as key for the relationship to increase in breadth and depth.
Once an individual discloses something personal, it can be rewarding, as the partner responds with understanding and empathy.
This creates a balance in self-disclosure, which increases feelings of intimacy and depth within the relationship.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for self-disclosure.
For example, Sprecher and Hendrick (2004) studied heterosexual dating couples and found strong correlations between several measures of satisfaction and self-disclosure, both theirs and their partner’s.
Men and women who used self-disclosure and those who believed their partners did likewise were more satisfied with and committed to their romantic relationship.
This is further supported by Laurenceau et al. (2005), who found that the reverse was also true with less intimate couples self-disclosing less often.
This suggests that self-disclosure is a valid factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships.

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that However, self-disclosure has limited validity, as it only applies to heterosexual couples or Western society, because it has not been been derived from same-sex relationships or across cultures.
The prediction that self-disclosure leads to a more satisfying and intimate relationship is not always true across all cultures, as it depends on the type of self-disclosure being shared.
For example, Tang et al. (2013) found sexual self-disclosure within relationships was more open in western cultures (USA), than it was in collectivist cultures, such as China.
Cultural norms shape patterns of self-disclosure and more intimate disclosures leading to more satisfied relationships may only be limited to Western relationships because of this.
This is further supported by Nakanishi (1986), who found that Japanese women preferred a lower level of conversation than Japanese men, which is the opposite of self-disclosure patterns in Western society.
This suggests that the importance of self-disclosure as an aspect of attraction is moderated by the influence of culture.

The third AO3 PEEL paragraph is that this makes theories into self-disclosure such as social penetration theory biased and more suited for Western cultures.
Although self-disclosure appears an important element within relationships according to correlational data, we cannot say for certain that this is the reason for relationship satisfaction or formation, as we cannot establish cause and effect with correlational data.
For example, it may simply be that more committed relationships, for other reasons, result in more self-disclosure anyway and it is difficult to establish this as the cause.
Measuring self-disclosure and how it contributes to attraction in real life is difficult, because within test conditions, the findings lack ecological validity.

The fourth AO3 PEEL paragraph is that despite this, research into self-disclosure can help people who want to improve communication in their relationships.

Answer 31

Romantic partners probably use self-disclosure deliberately and skilfully from time to time to increase intimacy and strengthen their bond

Question 32

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another.
Altman and Taylor refer to this process having many layers, with us disclosing lots of information about ourselves at the start, but this being mostly superficial and low-risk information that we would normally reveal to those around our social circle.
The breadth of topics we discuss is narrow at this point, because revealing too much at this point could threaten the relationship, as the other person feels put off before the relationship has any chance to establish itself.
Moderate levels of self-disclosure in the early stages are seen as most effective, as Derlaga et al. (1979) suggest that the listener should know them better without the information being too personal.

As the relationship develops, self-disclosure becomes deeper, progressing through the many layers to reveal our true inner selves, allowing individuals to talk about a wider range of topics of greater meaning to each.
At this point, people are able to reveal intimate high-risk information, memories and experiences, as well as secrets and strongly held beliefs.
Reis and Shaver (1988) believed reciprocity in self-disclosure as key for the relationship to increase in breadth and depth.
Once an individual discloses something personal, it can be rewarding, as the partner responds with understanding and empathy.
This creates a balance in self-disclosure, which increases feelings of intimacy and depth within the relationship.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for self-disclosure.
For example, Sprecher and Hendrick (2004) studied heterosexual dating couples and found strong correlations between several measures of satisfaction and self-disclosure, both theirs and their partner’s.
Men and women who used self-disclosure and those who believed their partners did likewise were more satisfied with and committed to their romantic relationship.
This is further supported by Laurenceau et al. (2005), who found that the reverse was also true with less intimate couples self-disclosing less often.
This suggests that self-disclosure is a valid factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships.

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that However, self-disclosure has limited validity, as it only applies to heterosexual couples or Western society, because it has not been been derived from same-sex relationships or across cultures.
The prediction that self-disclosure leads to a more satisfying and intimate relationship is not always true across all cultures, as it depends on the type of self-disclosure being shared.
For example, Tang et al. (2013) found sexual self-disclosure within relationships was more open in western cultures (USA), than it was in collectivist cultures, such as China.
Cultural norms shape patterns of self-disclosure and more intimate disclosures leading to more satisfied relationships may only be limited to Western relationships because of this.
This is further supported by Nakanishi (1986), who found that Japanese women preferred a lower level of conversation than Japanese men, which is the opposite of self-disclosure patterns in Western society.
This suggests that the importance of self-disclosure as an aspect of attraction is moderated by the influence of culture.

The third AO3 PEEL paragraph is that this makes theories into self-disclosure such as social penetration theory biased and more suited for Western cultures.
Although self-disclosure appears an important element within relationships according to correlational data, we cannot say for certain that this is the reason for relationship satisfaction or formation, as we cannot establish cause and effect with correlational data.
For example, it may simply be that more committed relationships, for other reasons, result in more self-disclosure anyway and it is difficult to establish this as the cause.
Measuring self-disclosure and how it contributes to attraction in real life is difficult, because within test conditions, the findings lack ecological validity.

The fourth AO3 PEEL paragraph is that despite this, research into self-disclosure can help people who want to improve communication in their relationships.
Romantic partners probably use self-disclosure deliberately and skilfully from time to time to increase intimacy and strengthen their bond.
Who is this supported by?

Answer 32

This is supported by Hass and Stafford (1998), who found that 57% of gay men and women in their study said that open and honest self-disclosure was the main way they maintained and deepened their committed relationships

Question 33

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another.
Altman and Taylor refer to this process having many layers, with us disclosing lots of information about ourselves at the start, but this being mostly superficial and low-risk information that we would normally reveal to those around our social circle.
The breadth of topics we discuss is narrow at this point, because revealing too much at this point could threaten the relationship, as the other person feels put off before the relationship has any chance to establish itself.
Moderate levels of self-disclosure in the early stages are seen as most effective, as Derlaga et al. (1979) suggest that the listener should know them better without the information being too personal.

As the relationship develops, self-disclosure becomes deeper, progressing through the many layers to reveal our true inner selves, allowing individuals to talk about a wider range of topics of greater meaning to each.
At this point, people are able to reveal intimate high-risk information, memories and experiences, as well as secrets and strongly held beliefs.
Reis and Shaver (1988) believed reciprocity in self-disclosure as key for the relationship to increase in breadth and depth.
Once an individual discloses something personal, it can be rewarding, as the partner responds with understanding and empathy.
This creates a balance in self-disclosure, which increases feelings of intimacy and depth within the relationship.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for self-disclosure.
For example, Sprecher and Hendrick (2004) studied heterosexual dating couples and found strong correlations between several measures of satisfaction and self-disclosure, both theirs and their partner’s.
Men and women who used self-disclosure and those who believed their partners did likewise were more satisfied with and committed to their romantic relationship.
This is further supported by Laurenceau et al. (2005), who found that the reverse was also true with less intimate couples self-disclosing less often.
This suggests that self-disclosure is a valid factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships.

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that However, self-disclosure has limited validity, as it only applies to heterosexual couples or Western society, because it has not been been derived from same-sex relationships or across cultures.
The prediction that self-disclosure leads to a more satisfying and intimate relationship is not always true across all cultures, as it depends on the type of self-disclosure being shared.
For example, Tang et al. (2013) found sexual self-disclosure within relationships was more open in western cultures (USA), than it was in collectivist cultures, such as China.
Cultural norms shape patterns of self-disclosure and more intimate disclosures leading to more satisfied relationships may only be limited to Western relationships because of this.
This is further supported by Nakanishi (1986), who found that Japanese women preferred a lower level of conversation than Japanese men, which is the opposite of self-disclosure patterns in Western society.
This suggests that the importance of self-disclosure as an aspect of attraction is moderated by the influence of culture.

The third AO3 PEEL paragraph is that this makes theories into self-disclosure such as social penetration theory biased and more suited for Western cultures.
Although self-disclosure appears an important element within relationships according to correlational data, we cannot say for certain that this is the reason for relationship satisfaction or formation, as we cannot establish cause and effect with correlational data.
For example, it may simply be that more committed relationships, for other reasons, result in more self-disclosure anyway and it is difficult to establish this as the cause.
Measuring self-disclosure and how it contributes to attraction in real life is difficult, because within test conditions, the findings lack ecological validity.

The fourth AO3 PEEL paragraph is that despite this, research into self-disclosure can help people who want to improve communication in their relationships.
Romantic partners probably use self-disclosure deliberately and skilfully from time to time to increase intimacy and strengthen their bond.
This is supported by Hass and Stafford (1998), who found that 57% of gay men and women in their study said that open and honest self-disclosure was the main way they maintained and deepened their committed relationships.
If

Answer 33

If less-skilled partners, for example those who tend to limit communication to ‘small talk,’ can learn to use self-disclosure, then partners who are less skilled at communication can be taught to open up and share more about themselves

Question 34

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another.
Altman and Taylor refer to this process having many layers, with us disclosing lots of information about ourselves at the start, but this being mostly superficial and low-risk information that we would normally reveal to those around our social circle.
The breadth of topics we discuss is narrow at this point, because revealing too much at this point could threaten the relationship, as the other person feels put off before the relationship has any chance to establish itself.
Moderate levels of self-disclosure in the early stages are seen as most effective, as Derlaga et al. (1979) suggest that the listener should know them better without the information being too personal.

As the relationship develops, self-disclosure becomes deeper, progressing through the many layers to reveal our true inner selves, allowing individuals to talk about a wider range of topics of greater meaning to each.
At this point, people are able to reveal intimate high-risk information, memories and experiences, as well as secrets and strongly held beliefs.
Reis and Shaver (1988) believed reciprocity in self-disclosure as key for the relationship to increase in breadth and depth.
Once an individual discloses something personal, it can be rewarding, as the partner responds with understanding and empathy.
This creates a balance in self-disclosure, which increases feelings of intimacy and depth within the relationship.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for self-disclosure.
For example, Sprecher and Hendrick (2004) studied heterosexual dating couples and found strong correlations between several measures of satisfaction and self-disclosure, both theirs and their partner’s.
Men and women who used self-disclosure and those who believed their partners did likewise were more satisfied with and committed to their romantic relationship.
This is further supported by Laurenceau et al. (2005), who found that the reverse was also true with less intimate couples self-disclosing less often.
This suggests that self-disclosure is a valid factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships.

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that However, self-disclosure has limited validity, as it only applies to heterosexual couples or Western society, because it has not been been derived from same-sex relationships or across cultures.
The prediction that self-disclosure leads to a more satisfying and intimate relationship is not always true across all cultures, as it depends on the type of self-disclosure being shared.
For example, Tang et al. (2013) found sexual self-disclosure within relationships was more open in western cultures (USA), than it was in collectivist cultures, such as China.
Cultural norms shape patterns of self-disclosure and more intimate disclosures leading to more satisfied relationships may only be limited to Western relationships because of this.
This is further supported by Nakanishi (1986), who found that Japanese women preferred a lower level of conversation than Japanese men, which is the opposite of self-disclosure patterns in Western society.
This suggests that the importance of self-disclosure as an aspect of attraction is moderated by the influence of culture.

The third AO3 PEEL paragraph is that this makes theories into self-disclosure such as social penetration theory biased and more suited for Western cultures.
Although self-disclosure appears an important element within relationships according to correlational data, we cannot say for certain that this is the reason for relationship satisfaction or formation, as we cannot establish cause and effect with correlational data.
For example, it may simply be that more committed relationships, for other reasons, result in more self-disclosure anyway and it is difficult to establish this as the cause.
Measuring self-disclosure and how it contributes to attraction in real life is difficult, because within test conditions, the findings lack ecological validity.

The fourth AO3 PEEL paragraph is that despite this, research into self-disclosure can help people who want to improve communication in their relationships.
Romantic partners probably use self-disclosure deliberately and skilfully from time to time to increase intimacy and strengthen their bond.
This is supported by Hass and Stafford (1998), who found that 57% of gay men and women in their study said that open and honest self-disclosure was the main way they maintained and deepened their committed relationships.
If less-skilled partners, for example those who tend to limit communication to ‘small talk,’ can learn to use self-disclosure, then partners who are less skilled at communication can be taught to open up and share more about themselves.
What can this help do?

Answer 34

This can help improve relationships as part of counselling or couples therapy to save relationships to deepen satisfaction and commitment

Question 35

Describe and evaluate self-disclosure as a factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships (16 marks).
Self-disclosure is revealing personal information about yourself, including intimate thoughts, feelings and experiences, to another person.

Altman and Taylor (1973) proposed social penetration theory to explain how relationships develop through self-disclosure.
Greater disclosure between individuals leads to a greater sense of intimacy and the development of romantic feelings, as people tend to prefer those that disclose intimate details, compared to those that do not.
This involves the reciprocal exchange of information between intimate partners with one partner displaying trust by revealing intimate details about themselves and this leads to the other then doing the same.
Over time, as this exchange occurs, romantic partners then ‘penetrate’ into each other’s lives to gain a greater understanding of one another.

Altman and Taylor believed self-disclosure to have two elements, breadth and depth.
As both of these increase, partners become more committed to one another.
Altman and Taylor refer to this process having many layers, with us disclosing lots of information about ourselves at the start, but this being mostly superficial and low-risk information that we would normally reveal to those around our social circle.
The breadth of topics we discuss is narrow at this point, because revealing too much at this point could threaten the relationship, as the other person feels put off before the relationship has any chance to establish itself.
Moderate levels of self-disclosure in the early stages are seen as most effective, as Derlaga et al. (1979) suggest that the listener should know them better without the information being too personal.

As the relationship develops, self-disclosure becomes deeper, progressing through the many layers to reveal our true inner selves, allowing individuals to talk about a wider range of topics of greater meaning to each.
At this point, people are able to reveal intimate high-risk information, memories and experiences, as well as secrets and strongly held beliefs.
Reis and Shaver (1988) believed reciprocity in self-disclosure as key for the relationship to increase in breadth and depth.
Once an individual discloses something personal, it can be rewarding, as the partner responds with understanding and empathy.
This creates a balance in self-disclosure, which increases feelings of intimacy and depth within the relationship.

The first AO3 PEEL paragraph is that there is research support for self-disclosure.
For example, Sprecher and Hendrick (2004) studied heterosexual dating couples and found strong correlations between several measures of satisfaction and self-disclosure, both theirs and their partner’s.
Men and women who used self-disclosure and those who believed their partners did likewise were more satisfied with and committed to their romantic relationship.
This is further supported by Laurenceau et al. (2005), who found that the reverse was also true with less intimate couples self-disclosing less often.
This suggests that self-disclosure is a valid factor affecting attraction in romantic relationships.

The second AO3 PEEL paragraph is that However, self-disclosure has limited validity, as it only applies to heterosexual couples or Western society, because it has not been been derived from same-sex relationships or across cultures.
The prediction that self-disclosure leads to a more satisfying and intimate relationship is not always true across all cultures, as it depends on the type of self-disclosure being shared.
For example, Tang et al. (2013) found sexual self-disclosure within relationships was more open in western cultures (USA), than it was in collectivist cultures, such as China.
Cultural norms shape patterns of self-disclosure and more intimate disclosures leading to more satisfied relationships may only be limited to Western relationships because of this.
This is further supported by Nakanishi (1986), who found that Japanese women preferred a lower level of conversation than Japanese men, which is the opposite of self-disclosure patterns in Western society.
This suggests that the importance of self-disclosure as an aspect of attraction is moderated by the influence of culture.

The third AO3 PEEL paragraph is that this makes theories into self-disclosure such as social penetration theory biased and more suited for Western cultures.
Although self-disclosure appears an important element within relationships according to correlational data, we cannot say for certain that this is the reason for relationship satisfaction or formation, as we cannot establish cause and effect with correlational data.
For example, it may simply be that more committed relationships, for other reasons, result in more self-disclosure anyway and it is difficult to establish this as the cause.
Measuring self-disclosure and how it contributes to attraction in real life is difficult, because within test conditions, the findings lack ecological validity.

The fourth AO3 PEEL paragraph is that despite this, research into self-disclosure can help people who want to improve communication in their relationships.
Romantic partners probably use self-disclosure deliberately and skilfully from time to time to increase intimacy and strengthen their bond.
This is supported by Hass and Stafford (1998), who found that 57% of gay men and women in their study said that open and honest self-disclosure was the main way they maintained and deepened their committed relationships.
If less-skilled partners, for example those who tend to limit communication to ‘small talk,’ can learn to use self-disclosure, then partners who are less skilled at communication can be taught to open up and share more about themselves.
This can help improve relationships as part of counselling or couples therapy to save relationships to deepen satisfaction and commitment, so

Answer 35

This can help improve relationships as part of counselling or couples therapy to save relationships to deepen satisfaction and commitment, so such real-life application demonstrates the value of the psychological insights