Factors Affecting Attraction: Self-Disclosure
- Created by: livnightingale
- Created on: 21-03-19 17:42
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- Factors Affecting Attraction: Self-Disclosure
- Self-Disclosure
- Self disclosure refers to revealing intimate information to another person
- For example, revealing your likes and dislikes, hopes and fears. We share what really matters to us
- Most people are careful about disclosing too much too soon
- Ultimately self-disclosure plays an important role in the development of a relationship
- Self disclosure refers to revealing intimate information to another person
- Social penetration theory (Altman & Taylor)
- Self disclosure is limited at the start. It is a gradual process of revealing your inner self to someone else
- Revealing information is a sign of trust. Partner has to reciprocate and reveal personal information
- Penetrations leads to development.
- As romantic partners increasingly disclose more information they 'penetrate' more deeply into each other's lives
- Both breadth and depth of self-disclosure are key according to the social penetration theory
- Breadth is narrow at the start of a relationship because if too much information is revealed at this may be off-putting & one partner might decide to quit the relationship
- Depth increases. As a relationships develops more layers are gradually revealed.
- We are likely to revel more intimate information including painful memories, secrets, etc.
- Self disclosure is limited at the start. It is a gradual process of revealing your inner self to someone else
- Reciprocity of self-disclosure
- Need for reciprocity for a relationship to develop.
- Reis & Shaver (1988) suggest that, in addition to a broadening & deepening of self-disclosure, there must be reciprocity.
- Successful relationships will involve disclosure from one partner which is received sensitively by the other partner
- In turn this should then lead to further self-disclosure from the other partner
- Need for reciprocity for a relationship to develop.
- Studies such as Sprecher & Hendrick (2004) have found positive correlation between self-disclose and satisfaction
- However, we cannot assume that the relationship is a casual one.
- This suggests that such research provides only limited support for the theory.
- However, we cannot assume that the relationship is a casual one.
- Hass & Stafford (1998) found that 57% of gay men & women reported that open and honest self-disclosure was a maintenance strategy
- Couples used to 'small talk' can be encouraged to increase self-disclosure in order to deepen their own relationships
- Tang et al (2013) concluded that people in the US (individualist culture) self-disclose significanty more sexual thoughts than people in China (collectivist)
- Both levels of self-disclosure are linked to relationship satisfaction in those cultures but nevertheless the pattern of self-disclosure is different
- Social penetration theory is therefore a limited explanation of romantic relationships ships and not necessarily generalisable to other cultures
- Both levels of self-disclosure are linked to relationship satisfaction in those cultures but nevertheless the pattern of self-disclosure is different
- sometimes breakdown of relationships is characterised by a reduction in self-disclosure, however this is not always the case.
- Duck's (2007) phase model of the breakdown of relationships recognises that couples often discuss their relationship with each other, yet this may not be sufficient to save the relationship
- This suggests that increased self-disclosure may not always lead positive developments in a relationship.
- Duck's (2007) phase model of the breakdown of relationships recognises that couples often discuss their relationship with each other, yet this may not be sufficient to save the relationship
- Self-Disclosure
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