Factors affecting Attraction: self disclosure

Question 1

Self disclosure

Answer 1

Revealing personal information about yourself. Romantic partners reveal more about themselves as their relationship develops. Self disclosure helps strengthen a romantic bond when used appropriately

Question 2

Social penetration theory

Answer 2

Proposed by Altman and Taylor.

Gradual process of revealing your inner self to someone by giving away your deepest thoughts and feelings. There needs to be a reciprocal exchange of information to display trust. when one partner reveal something the other must do the same. As they disclose more information they penetrate more deeply into each other’s lives and gain grater understanding.

Question 3

Breadth and depth of self disclosure

Answer 3

Self disclosure has two elements:
Breadth and depth
Researchers use metaphor of layers of onion to illustrate this. At the start of a relationship we disclose a lot about ourself but this info is superficial. If we reveal too much too soon it threatens the relationship.
However as Relationship develops self disclosure becomes deeper and removes more and more layers to reveal our true selves and tell the other person things that matter to us most. (painful memories)

Question 4

Support research from studies

Answer 4

Sprecher and Hendrick(2004) studied heterosexual dating couples and found strong correlation between several measures of satisfaction. Men and women who used self disclosure were more satisfied and committed to their romantic relationship.

Laurenceau et al found that self disclosure and perception of self disclosure in a partner were linked to higher levels of intimacy in long term married couple.

Question 5

Real World Application

Answer 5

Hass and Stafford found that 57% of gay men and women in their study said that open and honest self disclosure was the main way they deepened and maintained their committed relationships.

Question 6

Cultural differences

Answer 6

Tang et al reviewed research literature regarding sexual self disclosure and concluded that men and women in the USA self disclose significantly more sexual thoughts and feelings than men and women in China.

Self disclosure is then a limited explanation of romantic relationships based on findings from individualist cultures.