Factors Affecting Attraction: Self-disclosure

Question 1

Outline self-disclosure

Answer 1

Refers to revealing intimate information to another person
E.g. Revealing likes or dislikes
What people share really matters
Most people are careful about disclosing too much too soon
Play important role in development of a relationship

Question 2

What did Altman and Taylor study?

Answer 2

Self-disclosure

Question 3

Why do people self-disclose

Answer 3

Revealing information is a sign of trust, partner then has to reciprocate and reveal personal information

Question 4

What leads to development

Answer 4

Penetration

Question 5

What is penetration?

Answer 5

As romantic partners increasingly disclose more information they penetrate more deeply into each other’s lives and gain a greater understanding of each other

Question 6

What are key according to the social penetration theory

Answer 6

Both breadth and depth

Question 7

Explain breadth

Answer 7

It is narrow at the start of a relationship - if too much information is revealed this may be off-putting and one partner may decide to quit the relationship

Question 8

Explain how depth increases

Answer 8

As a relationship develops more layers are gradually revealed - we are likely to reveal more intimate information including meaningful memories

Question 9

What is needed for a relationship to develop?

Answer 9

Reciprocity

Question 10

What did Reis and Shaver suggest

Answer 10

In addition to a broadening and deepening of self-disclosure there must be reciprocity

Question 11

What did Reis and Shaver suggest a successful relationship should include

Answer 11

Self-disclosure from one partner which is received sensitively by the other partner - should lead to further self disclosure

Question 12

What is a strength of self-disclosure

Answer 12

Support from research studies - Sprecher and Hendrick

Question 13

What did Sprecher and Hendrick find?

Answer 13

Strong correlations between several measure of self-disclosure in heterosexual couples - people who used SD and those who believed their partners also disclosed were more satisfied and committed to romantic relationships

Question 14

How does Sprecher and Hendrick’s research support the concept of self-disclosure

Answer 14

Being a key component of committed romantic relationships

Question 15

What is a weakness of self-disclosure

Answer 15

Doesn’t apply to all cultures- Tang et al

Question 16

What did Tang et al do?

Answer 16

Concluded that people in the US (individualist culture) self-disclose significantly more sexual thoughts and feelings than those in China (collectivist culture)

Question 17

What did Tang et al find

Answer 17

Both levels of self-disclosure are linked to relationship satisfaction in those cultures but the pattern of self-disclosure is different

Question 18

What does Tang et al’s research suggest

Answer 18

Social penetration theory is a limited explanation of romantic relationships and not necessarily generalisable to other cultures