lesson 2 - self disclosure

Question 1

what is self - disclosure

Answer 1

a factor that affects attraction in romantic relationships (but also other types of relationships) This is the revealing of personal information such as thoughts, feelings and experiences to another person

Question 2

what is social penetration theory

Answer 2

proposed by Altman and Taylor
theory claims that by gradually revealing emotions and experiences to their partner, couples gain a greater understanding of each other and display trust. Self-disclosure is the central concept of this theory and therefore self-disclosure will increase attraction

Question 3

how does self-disclosure work in relationships

Answer 3

as ppl built trust in their partner, the breadth and depth of self-disclosure will increase. In the beginning people only disclose superficial details ab themselves such as hobbies and interests and gradually reveal more intimate details like family values and difficult experiences. However, self disclosing too quickly eg the first date can reduce attraction

Question 4

what is reciprocal self-disclosure

Answer 4

when ppl expect the same level of self-disclosure from others as they acc give. The more self-disclosure someone gives the more they expect in return

Question 5

strengths of self-disclosure

Answer 5

• research conducted by Altman and Taylor supports the theory of self-disclosure on the first date is inappropriate and didn’t increase attraction levels. The person who was self-disclosing was seen as maladjusted and not very likeable
• kit found research evidence to support the idea of self disclosure across different cultures. kits investigated Japanese and American students in diff types of relationships and found that self-disclosure was high for Japanese and American students in romantic relationships that were heterosexual

-Tal-or conducted research which agrees w the fundamental concept of self-disclosure being a gradual process that can affect attraction for romantic relationships. Analysis of reality shows of TV shows like big brother revealed that viewers didn’t like contestants who self-disclosed early on and preferred contestants who self-disclosed gradually

Question 6

disadvantages of self-disclosure

Answer 6

• Sprecher found research evidence that the level of self-disclosure received is the best predictor of liking and loving rather than the amount of self-disclosure given. This goes against the idea of reciprocal self-disclosure
• It seems unlikely that attraction to a potential partner is based on self-disclosure alone. Self-disclosure might be an important element but other factors are also needed in order to increase attraction, such as physical attraction, similarity of attitudes and complementarity of needs