Self Disclosure Flashcards
What’s self disclosure?
Gradually revealing personal information about yourself and built upon trust
Who proposed the theory?
Altman and Taylor (1973)
What’s the theory called?
Social penetration theory
What analogy is the social penetration theory based upon?
An onion analogy
What are the two main parts to the social penetration theory (onion analogy)?
Breadth - a wide range of topics spoken about (usually when first meeting someone) like job, hobbies ect
Depth - revealing deeper and more personal information (usually later on in a relationship) like past events or trauma as
Who proposed the importance of reciprocity in self disclosure?
Reis and shaver
What is reciprocity?
Exchanging equal information with a partner, which builds trust and allows them to penetrate deeper into each others lives
What’s likely to happen if reciprocity doesn’t occur?
A breakdown of trust
What must self disclosure be?
Appropriate
What does self disclosure lead to?
Greater intimacy and satisfaction
Explain supportive evidence of self disclosure
E- Sprecher and Hendrick (2004) heterosexual couples - strong correlation between SD + satisfaction
E- supports predictions that self disclosure lead to greater satisfaction + shows valid for males and females
L- inc validity
However correlational so could be something else causing satisfaction or intimacy leading to self disclosure
Explain AO3 - Self disclosure exp lacks cultural relativism
E- Tang et al (2013) M+W in USA more likely to self disclose than people in China but both equally satisfied
E- challenges theory because surely if Americans were self disclose more they should be more satisfied but aren’t
L- theory not supported - ethnocentric to generalise a western theory on eastern culture
Explain AO3 - self disclosure has real life application
E- Hass and Stafford - 57% Gay men and women agreed SD was how they maintained relationship
E- shows that it’s a real life technique that can be practiced to inc intimacy + satisfaction
L- SD good technique in real world
However self report of own relationships so could be some bias
