Self-Disclosure: Outline

Question 1

Self discourse:

Answer 1

the extent to which a person reveals personal information about themselves

greater disclosure = greater feelings of intimacy

people reveal more intimate information to those they like and also like those who reveal information about themselves

Question 2

Research on self-disclosure -

Sprecher et al. (2013)

Answer 2

research on this makes a distinction between S-D given and S-D received

research has shown that the level of S-D received was a better predictor of liking and loving than given

Sprecher found that S-D was positively correlated to relationship stability

Question 3

Different types of self-disclosure:

Answer 3

S-D takes many different forms

some suggest this it isn’t S-D disclosure itself that predicts relationship satisfaction but instead the TYPE of S-D

Sprecher: found that disclosure that reveals personal disappointments/accomplishments are a greater influence on relationship satisfaction than ‘nuetral’ types of S-D

Question 4

Norms of self disclosure -

Derlega and Grzelak (1979)

Answer 4

it the norm that people engage in a moderate level of S-D in the early stages - neither too personal or too impersonal

the norm of reciprocity governs our social behaviour

Berg and Archer (1980) suggest that people posses this norm of reciprocity with S-D;
the more one person discloses, the more disclosure they expect in Ethan