self disclosure Flashcards
what is meant by self-exposure?
The voluntary sharing of private aspects of the self with another person.
what are the consequences of self disclosure?
Disclosing thoughts and feelings and allowing a partner to reveal their true selves leads to greater intimacy in romantic relationships, and ultimately to more satisfaction.
what are the types of self-disclosure?
- neutral
- intense
who created the social penetration theory?
Altman & Taylor (1973) stated that self disclosure is the gradual process of revealing your inner self to someone else.
why should self disclosure be limited at the start?
Revealing too much straight away might be inappropriate.
In romantic relationships we give away our deepest thoughts and feelings in a reciprocal exchange.
By revealing personal information, we are displaying trust. For the relationship to go further the other person must also reveal sensitive information, thereby penetrating more deeply into each other’s lives.
why is breadth and depth an important aspect of self disclosure?
Altman and Taylor (1973) identified breadth and depth as important factors of self-disclosure using an onion analogy to explain how we can choose to share information about ourselves to others.
At the start of a relationship, self-disclosure is likely to cover a range of topics breadth as you seek to explore the key facts about your new partner.
what happens to the breadth and depth of self disclosure as the relationships develop?
As the relationship develops, people tend to share more detailed and personal information, such as past traumas and desires for the future (depth).
If this sharing happens too soon however, an incompatibility may be found before the other person has reached a suitable level of investment in the relationship.
what is meant by reciprocity as a factor of self disclosure?
If one person shares more than the other is willing to, there may be a breakdown of trust as one person establishes themselves as more invested than the other.
Reciprocity is expected (Berg and Archer 1980). The more a person discloses, the more expected in return.
Once you have disclosed something that reveals your true self, hopefully your partner will respond in a way that is rewarding, with understanding, empathy, and their own intimate thoughts and feelings.
This leads to a balance of self-disclosure between both partners, deepening the relationship.
what are factors to consider in self disclosure?
- Appropriateness of disclosure
- Attributions for the disclosure
- Gender differences
- Contents of the disclosure
what is meant by the appropriateness of self disclosure?
Sometimes disclosing personal information is inappropriate.
Is what being said going against social norms? Those who contravene social norms will be seen as maladjusted and lacking in social skills.
Attractiveness increased when the other person is sensitive to social norms.
what is meant by attributions as a factor of self disclosure?
The reasons we believe a person is self-disclosing are important to us.
Less attraction occurs if an individual is seen as the kind of person who discloses personal information to everyone, or if the situation isn’t appropriate.
More attraction occurs if we believe an individual sees us as someone they especially want to disclose intimate information to.
what is meant by gender differences as a factor of self disclosure?
Women are generally seen as better communicators of and more interested in intimate information, therefore intimate self-disclosure by males may be seen as less appropriate than those by females.
Alternatively self-disclosure by a male may be seen as very rewarding by a female, as it indicates he especially wants to disclose personal information to her.
Males may not be used to this and feel so threatened by females self-disclosing intimate details
what is meant by contents as a factor of self disclosure?
Generally intimate disclosures are seen favourably.
However, disclosure of highly intimate information may be seen as inappropriate and as violating social norms, especially if the relationship is in its early stages.
This could decrease attraction, as the recipient of the information may feel threatened and therefore unsure of how to respond.
Attraction is stronger when self-disclosure is of moderate intimacy rather than low or high intimacy
