self disclosure

Question 1

define what is meant by the term ‘self-disclosure’ in factors affecting attraction

Answer 1

based on the idea that relationships are built on trust with another person, which is developed by gradually revealing more and more information that may not be shared with another person. this leads to greater intimacy and satisfaction in relationships

Question 2

what is the social penetration theory?

Answer 2

a theory proposed by altman and taylor (1973), that claims that by gradually revealing information to another person, and engaging in reciprocal self disclosure, people gain deeper understanding and trust within their relationship

Question 3

what’s the difference between breadth and depth?

Answer 3

self disclose includes breadth and depth. at the beginning of a relationship people will share certain aspects of themselves (breadth) but will consider some topics off limits (depth). as more trust is built, the info shared will become deeper

Question 4

how does reciprocity affect self disclosure?

Answer 4

reis and shaver (1988) suggest for a relationship to be able to develop fully, there must be a balance of self disclose between each person, in which they both share information and listen to the other

Question 5

what are the risks of self disclosure?

Answer 5

• the other person may not be ready to hear the info
• they might tell other people
• you may not get the reaction you wanted
• the other person could use the info against you
• sharing deep info without the right level of trust could damage the relationship

Question 6

what are the benefits of self disclosure?

Answer 6

• helps to gain trust
• prevents resentment from building up
• improves the relationship
• helps build intimacy
• improves understanding of each other

Question 7

sprecher et al (2013) - research examining self disclosure

Answer 7

aim - investigate role of reciprocal self disclosure in relationships
method - 156 uni students paired as m-f or f-f, unacquainted pairs had skype conversation. in 1 condition they self disclosed in reciprocal way. in 2nd condition, one self disclosed and the other listened then they swapped. they were then assessed for liking, closeness, perceived similarity and enjoyment with their partner
results - when they reciprocated they reported higher liking, closeness, similarity and enjoyment
conclusion - reciprocal self disclosure has more positive outcomes that one sided disclosure

Question 8

give a strength of self disclosure
1/3

Answer 8

hass and stafford (1998) studied how gay men and women sustained and developed relationships. 57% said that honest and open self disclosure was the most important factor for maintaining a close relationship. demonstrates importance of self disclosure and gives potential real world applications for couple counselling, allowing people to develop commutation skills

Question 9

give a strength of self disclosure
2/3

Answer 9

importance of gaining trust before revealing deep info supported by ‘boom and bust’ in online relationships. cooper and sportolari (1997) found online anonymity caused people to disclose deeper info earlier (boom), but because the initial trust wasn’t built the intensity can’t be sustained causing break up (bust). this suggests trust needs to be built before sharing deeper info, as social penetration theory says

Question 10

give a strength of self disclosure
3/3

Answer 10

laurenceau et al (2005) asked people to write daily entry about their relationship. they found self disclose as well as the perception of their partners disclosure lead to more feelings of intimacy. suggesting self disclosure plays an important role in deepening intimacy and feelings of attraction

Question 11

give a limitation of self disclosure
1/2

Answer 11

takes nomothetic approach, not explaining all types of relationships. suggesting self disclosure leads to greater intimacy ignores other factors that influence relationships. the theory also ignores other aspects of romantic attraction like physical attractiveness and attitudes. research could use an idiographic approach studying unique experiences in detail instead

Question 12

give a limitation of self disclosure
2/2

Answer 12

theory made on research in western individualistic culture, so may not apply to collectivist cultures. tang et al 92013) found men and women in usa disclosed more sexual thoughts than those in china, but the level of satisfaction was high for both cultures. so self disclosure isn’t necessary for a successful relationship and the theory is culturally biased.