Social Penetration Theory

Question 1

What is social penetration?

Answer 1

Process of developing deeper intimacy with another person through mutual self disclosure and other forms of vulnerability

Question 2

What is personality structure?

Answer 2

Layers of beliefs and feelings about self, others, and the world (multilayered onion; outer layer- held by things in common with others, beneath surfaces- semiprivate attitudes revealed only to some; inner core- made of values, self-concept, unresolved conflicts, deep emotions)

Question 3

What is self disclosure?

Answer 3

Voluntary sharing of personal history, preferences, attitudes, feelings, values, etc with anther person (ex: problem with social media b/c people are not self disclosing if you are looking at stuff they have not shared with you)

Question 4

What is the law of reciprocity?

Answer 4

Openness in one person leads to openness in the other

Question 5

What is breadth of penetration?

Answer 5

Range of areas in individuals life over which disclosure takes place. Breadth without depth is just a casual relationship, true intimacy has different wedges inserted deeply into every area

Question 6

What are the 4 observations of Social Penetration Theory?

Answer 6

1. Peripheral items exchanges more frequently and sooner than private information
2. Self disclosure is reciprocal, especially in the early stages of relationship development
3. Penetration is rapid at start but slows as the tightly wrapped inner layers are reached
4. De-penetration is a gradual process of layer-by-layer withdrawal

Question 7

What is social exchange?

Answer 7

Relationship behavior and status regulated by parties’ evolutions of perceived awards and costs of interaction with each other

Question 8

What is comparison level?

Answer 8

Threshold above which an interpersonal outcome seems attractive (gauging relational satisfaction). Our relational history establishes our comparisons levels for friendship, romance or familial ties

Question 9

What are comparison levels of alternatives?

Answer 9

Gauging relational stability. Best outcome available in other relationships; show relative stability of relationships

Question 10

What is a dialectic model?

Answer 10

People want both privacy and intimacy in their social relationships; experience tension between disclosure and withdrawal

Question 11

What is territorials role in social penetration theory?

Answer 11

Environment is a factor in social penetration. Territorial- tendency to claim a physical location or object as our own