Self-Disclosure Content Flashcards
What is self-disclosure?
The extent to which a person reveals personal information about themselves
- can be ‘high risk’ information e.g past relationships
- can be ‘low risk’ information e.g height, age, favourite colour (first date kinda thing)
What did Collins and Miller 1994 find?
Self-disclosure becomes higher risk and more intimate for the people you like
- however, for you to continue liking them, this revealing of high-risk information must be reciprocated
. Individuals who gave intimidate disclosures were preferred to those who self-disclosed low risk information.
. Those who disclosed to one person were preferred to those who disclosed indiscriminately
What did Sprecher (1987) find about different types of self-disclosure?
High-risk self disclosure has a greater influence on romantic relationship satisfaction than lower risk self-disclosure (although you need to be careful about the timing in which you self-disclose)
- this is because high-risk self-disclosure shows you are willing to get more personal and open up
Why is important to achieve the right amount of self-disclosure in a romantic relationship?
. Overly personal information can make the individual seem indiscriminate with their information e.g they tell personal things to everyone.
. On the other hand, too much low risk stops you from getting to know the individual
What is the ‘boom and bust’ theory in self disclosure?
The ‘boom’ of early self-disclosure, especially high risk, can rapidly intensify a relationship, which is initially seen as a good thing. However, if this information is self disclosed too early, the underlying trust needed to support a relationship hasn’t been develop, so the ‘bust’ in the relationship often follows
You need to build a relationship foundation before you can disclose high risk information
Where does self-disclosure come from?
Altman and Taylor’s (1973) social penetration theory
- as each person discloses more information to the other, they penetrate more into each other lives, allow more high risk and intimate self-disclosure to occur
What is the best way of self-disclosing in a romantic relationship?
Gradually reveal emotions and experiences to a partner, listen to their similar experience and see if they’re reciprocating the level of self-disclosure. This provides stability in the relationship
What is the effect of self-disclosure in romantic relationships?
Leads to greater intimacy, generally increasing effects of attractiveness and closeness
