role of self-disclosure in attraction

Question 1

key term: self disclosure

Answer 1

a person reveals intimate personal info about them to another person

Question 2

theory behind self-disclosure

Answer 2

• revealing personal info like intimate thoughts, feelings & experiences
• important for relationships -> greater disclosure leads to greater feelings of intimacy
• people prefer those who disclose intimate details
• people also reveal more intimate info to those they like (reciprocity)

Question 3

key study - Sprecher procedure

Answer 3

• tested with reciprocal self-disclosure more influential for attraction than one sided self-disclosure
• 156 US undergrads
• people put into pairs then split into two groups
• pairs in both groups engaged in self-disclosure task over Skype
• in reciprocal, people in each pair took turns to ask q & disclose info
• in non-reciprocal, one person asked all q & other disclosed then switched roles
• after interactions, measured liking, closeness, similarity and enjoymeny

Question 4

key study - Sprecher findings

Answer 4

• pairs in reciprocal reported more liking, closeness, similarity & enjoyment from interaction
• even after pairs in non-reciprocal switched, still less liking etc
• turn taking with self-disclosure more likely to lead to a positive relationship

Question 5

research on self-disclosure

Answer 5

• distinction between self-disclosure given & self-disclosure received
• Sprecher showed self-disclosure received in a relationship is a better predictor of liking than self-disclosure given
• Sprecher found self-disclosure positively related to relationship stability

Question 6

different types of self-disclosure

Answer 6

• takes many forms -> taste in music, inner fears
• actually type of self-disclosure that predicts relationship satisfaction
• Sprecher found disclosure of personal disappointment, accomplishments, fears have greater influence of relationship satisfaction

Question 7

norms of self-disclosure

Answer 7

• a norm that people should engage in moderate level of self-disclosure in early stages which is neither too personal or impersonal
• norm of reciprocity - more one person discloses to another, more disclosure expected

Question 8

evaluation 1

Answer 8

RESEARCH SUPPORT: meta-analysis from Collins & Miller found people engage in intimate disclosures tend to be liked more & people like others as result of having disclosed to them. Disclosure valued more if person believed that the info only being shared with them
STRENGTH: people value how far potential partners disclose info on them
CULTURAL DIFFERENCES: in west, people typically engage in more intimate self-disclosure than non-Westerners. Cultural norms influence how comfy men & women are in self-disclosing. for example, Japanese women prefer lower level of personal conversations than Japanese men. However, in West women prefer more disclosure
LIMIT: it’s influence is highly dependent on norms of different cultures

Question 9

evaluation 2

Answer 9

NORMS OF SELF-DISCLOSURE: research shown that relationship between gradual self-disclosure & attraction is not only evident in real-life relationships but also in liking reality TV contestants. In reality shows like Big Brother, intimate self-disclosure was only welcomed by audience when evolved gradually
STRENGTH: viewers preferred contestants whose self-disclosure & intimacy evolved gradually
SELF DISCLOSURE GREATER FACE TO FACE: other research has revealed that people disclose more personal info when face to face, rather than interacting online. A person who is disclosing info appreciates nonverbal cues like eye contact or silence. these cues are absent in online environment
LIMIT: infleunce is only effective in certain environments