1. COM 252 Interpersonal Communication Professor Arrington
Chapter Nine: Social Penetration Theory (Irwin Altman and Dalmas Taylor)
COM 252 Interpersonal Communication
Professor Arrington
Muzafer Sherif – key name associated with the theory
“The larger the discrepancy between a speaker’s position and a listener’s point of view,
the greater the change in attitude – as long as the message is within the listener’s
latitude of acceptance. High ego-involvement usually indicates a wide latitude of
rejection. Messages that fall there may have a boomerang effect” (Griffin, p. A-15)

2. Intimacy
Emotional
Physical
Intellectual
Shared activities

3. Distance Avoiding Becoming reserved Shortening interaction
Restricting topics
Restraint
Deception

4. Dialectical Tension Closeness  privacy Interdependence  autonomy
Intimacy is NOT essential for a positive relationship. Obsession with intimacy can lead to a less satisfying relationship.
The desire for intimacy in a relationship can wax and wane.
Hold me tight – put me down – leave me alone

5. Personalities as Onions?
Personality structure as a multilayered onion
Outer layer
Inner core
At the instant of perception, people compare messages to their present points of view. Individuals differ in their tolerance around a given point.

6. Social Penetration Theory (SPT) Key Points SPT is a theory about the development of “relational closeness.” Relational closeness can progress from superficial to intimate. Closeness develops through self-disclosure. Closeness varies according to the following factors: Rewards/benefits Costs/vulnerability Satisfaction Stability and security

7. Self-Disclosure
Self-disclosure is sharing with someone information which helps him or her understand you. Self-disclosure is most revealing when the sharing is in the present and least revealing when the sharing is about the past.  --
D. Johnson, Reaching Out:Interpersonal Effectiveness and Self-Actualization (Boston: Allyn and Bacon) 1997 ,p.33.

8. Self-disclosure
Peripheral items exchanged sooner, more frequently than private information
Self-disclosure as reciprocal, especially early in relationship development
Penetration is rapid at the beginning of a relationship but slows down as we move from outer to inner layers
Depenetration – gradual process of layer-by-layer withdrawal

9. Self-Disclosure Definitions. S
Self-Disclosure Definitions ** S. Jourard (in The Transparent Self) defines self-disclosure as making ourselves "transparent" to others through our communication--i.e., when we tell others things about ourselves which help them to see our uniqueness as a human being.
** Culpert distinguishes between self-description vs. self-disclosure. Self-description involves communication that levels "public layers" whereas self-disclosure involves communication that reveals more private, sensitive, and confidential information.
** Pearce & Sharp make an interesting distinction among three related terms: Self-disclosure, confession, and revelation.
Self-disclosure -- voluntarily communication of information about one's self to another.
Confession -- forced or coerced communication of information about one's self to another.
Revelation -- unintentional or inadvertent communication of information about one's self to another.

10. Disclosure increases with increased relational intimacy.
Findings of Self Disclosure Research
Disclosure increases with increased relational intimacy.
Disclosure increases with the need to reduce uncertainty in a relationship.
Disclosure tends to be reciprocal.
Disclosure tends to be incremental.
Disclosure tends to be symmetrical.
Liking is related to positive disclosure, but not to negative ones.
Positive disclosure does not necessarily increase with the intimacy of the relationship; but negative disclosure is directly related to the intimacy of the relationship.
Relational satisfaction and disclosure have a curvilinear relationship -- satisfaction is highest with moderate levels of disclosure.

11. Theory into Practice: Guidelines for Self-Disclosure
Is the time, place, and information appropriate and/or relevant?
Is the audience appropriate for your self-disclosure?
Might the information you are about to disclose reflect badly on others known to the group?
Will your self-disclosure demonstrate respect for another individual's or group's opinion?
Is the situation one in which you trust the other person(s) to listen and show courtesy toward you?
Do you have a relationship with the other person(s) which allows for mutual disclosure? How close are you to the other person?
How much personal detail do you need to go into? Might you embarrass yourself or others?
Have you developed adequate rapport with the other person? Do you feel pressured to self-disclose? Is this something you really want to do?

12. Theory into Practice: Guidelines for Self-Disclosure
Can you trust the other person(s) to maintain confidentiality if necessary?
Do you feel comfortable self-disclosing in the situation you are in?
What impact will your self-disclosure have on the other person?
Do you have a relationship with the other person(s) which allows for mutual disclosure? How close are you to the other person?
How much personal detail do you need to go into? Might you embarrass yourself or others?
Have you developed adequate rapport with the other person? Do you feel pressured to self-disclose? Is this something you really want to do?

13. Self-Disclosure Tests
For individuals:
For couples:

14. A Contextual Self-Disclosure Test (from http://oregonstate
Step 1: Identify a relationship
Stranger
Co-worker
Employer/supervisor
Acquaintance
Friend
Intimate partner
Family member
Peer in this class

15. Step 2: Rate the items that follow using the following scale:
1 – would definitely self-disclose
2 – would probably self-disclose
3 – uncertain if I would self-disclose
4 – would probably not self-disclose
5 – would definitely not self-disclose

16. Step 3: The Items My religious beliefs
My attitudes toward other religions, nationalities, ethnic groups
My economic status
My parents’ attitudes about other religions, nationalities, ethnic groups
My feelings about my parents
My past intimate relationships
My ideal mate
My sexual fantasies
My doubts about myself
My hopes and fears

17. Step 3: Continued My drinking and/or drug-taking behavior
My political beliefs
My job satisfaction or dissatisfaction
My relationship satisfaction or dissatisfaction
My feelings about the people in the relevant group (e.g. peers in this class, co-workers, family members)

18. Your SD score: The LOWER your score, the HIGHER your SD score is.
Score a 75 – you HARDLY EVER self-disclose
Score a 15 – you SELF-DISCLOSE to extremes
Maybe we should work on a nice happy medium?