Self-disclosure (attraction) Flashcards
What is self- disclosure?
Revealing personal info about yourself
Romantic partners reveal more as the relationship develops
Plays a vital role beyond initial attraction
In the beginning people are careful about what they disclose
Explain social penetration theory
Altman anf Taylor (1973)
Gradually revealing info about yourself creates trust
Creates ‘reciprocal exchange’ where one reveals then so must the other
This means that the partnership involves ‘penetrating’ more deeply into each other’s lives
If this didn’t happen it would suggest to the partner who shared that the other didn’t trust them
What is breadth and depth of self disclosure?
People often share vast amounts trivial info about themselves e.g., hobbies
Breadth is narrow as we don’t reveal our inner layers in case we reveal too much
As trust builds through RE, breadth starts to increase along with depth
E.g., traumas
May also cause ‘depenetration’: how dissatisfied partners SD less and gradually disengage
What research supports self disclosure?
Sprecher and Hendrick (2004)
In hetero couples found strong correlations between measures of satisfaction and self- disclosure
Sprecher (2013) found that reciprocal exchange created more satisfaction and commitment
This increases validity of the theory that SD and RE leads to more satisfying relationships
What is a counterpoint to research supporting SD?
Much SD is correlational
Correlation between satisfaction and Sd doesn’t tell us if its a valid conclusion- alternatives are also likely e.g., amount of time they spend together
Or SD and satis. may be independent of each other
Therefore reducing validity as there’s no cause and effect
Why are cultural differences a limitation for SD
Increasing breadth and depth does not create a more satisfying relationship in all cultures
Nu Tang (2013) found that couples in the US (individualist) self disclose significantly more sexual thoughts and feelings than couples in China (collectivist)
Despite lower levels in China, satisfaction was no different from the US
Therefore not generalisable
