Chapter 8: Social Penetration Theory Flashcards
Social exchange theory:
an economic theory based on costs and rewards
What theory does social penetration draw on?
social exchange theory
Social penetration:
the process (ongoing) of developing deeper intimacy with another person through mutual self-disclosure and other forms of vulnerability
Alternative description of SP theory by West & Turner:
social penetration is a process of bonding that moves a relationship from superficial to more intimate
Alternative description of SP theory by Baldwin:
self-disclosure is what drives relationships closer, but we weigh the threat of vulnerability and the discomfort of sharing before we self-disclose to a stranger
Depth:
knowing a lot of information about a specific area
Reciprocity:
people tend to match their disclosures on breadth and depth
Does reciprocity reign early on?
yes
Is penetration (giving information) slow at the start?
no, penetration is rapid at the start and slows down as we get closer to the center (more vulnerable information)
When does depenetration happen?
as one or both people pull away from disclosing information
Breadth:
knowing about a range of different areas
Do we know more of depth or breadth about the people we know best?
both
What are the four parts of the Johari Window?
- open self
- blind self
- hidden self
- unknown self
Open self:
information about you that both you and others know
Blind self:
information about you that others know but you don’t know
Hidden self:
information about you that you know, but hide from others
Unknown self:
information about you that neither you nor others know
What are the [five] stages of self-disclosure?
- orientation
- exploratory affective exchange
- affective exchange
- stable exchange
- de-penetration
Orientation:
revealing bit by bit
Exploratory affective exchange:
our personality emerges and we explore emotional exchanges
Affective exchange:
committed and comfortable
Stable exchange:
raw honestly and intimacy
De-penetration:
pulling away, less disclosure
What stage of self-disclosure is considered the peak of a relationship?
stable exchange
Do all relationships have to go through the stages of self-disclosure?
no - and those that do are not always romantic
What does Altman suggest the social penetration model includes?
a dialectical tension
When can dialectical tension happen?
at any stage of self-disclosure
Why does dialectical tension happen?
people want privacy but they also want intimacy in their relationships
What type of theory is Social Penetration theory?
Objective
Which tradition(s) does Social Penetration theory represent?
socio-psychological
Who are the authors of the Social Penetration theory?
Altman & Taylor
Social Penetration theory represents the _____ tradition and is a(n) _____ theory.
socio-psychological, objective
Social penetration theory says we regulate closeness based on rewards and costs. From which theory is this idea borrowed?
Social exchange theory
Social Penetration theory: the authors of this theory suggest that penetration
is rapid at the start but slows down as it gets more intimate
Social penetration theory uses the ____ as a model for explaining behavior.
onion
Social Penetration Theory: As we discussed the stages of self-disclosure, we carefully noted that these stages only referenced romantic relationships and that the stages occurred in a definitive, linear pattern
false.
Social Penetration Theory: We discussed _____ in class as an example of what might occur in the Stable Exchange stage of SPT.
idiolects (inside jokes)
