Social Penetration Theory
General Purpose: To define self-disclosure and to see how self-disclosure occurs in relationships and affects liking.
Specific Purpose:
The theory explains how people self-disclose and the repercussions for self-disclosure.
Key terms, concepts, and definitions:
Relationships tend to be more likely to form when self-disclosure is reciprocal, symmetrical, and incremental. Reciprocal self-disclosure indicates that conversational partners share equal amounts of information at the beginning, and symmetrical self-disclosure means that it is equally deep or superficial. Incremental self-disclosure means that disclosure gradually goes from casual small talk to revelations about attitudes, values, and beliefs.
The theory is commonly linked with the idea of an onion, meaning that as we become closer to people, we peel back layers of our personality, like an onion.
What does the theory do?
The theory defines self-disclosure in a better way than Uncertainty Reduction Theory.
Where can it be applied?
The theory has been applied to studies of liking in order to see if self-disclosure leads to liking or liking leads to self disclosure. There is a reciprocal relationship between liking and self-disclosure. However, self disclosure does not always lead to liking.
Summary source:
Altman, I. & Taylor D. A. (1973). Social Penetration, New York, NY: Holst, Rinehart, Winston.
Altman, I. & Taylor, D. A. (1987). Communication in interpersonal relationships: Social
Penetration Theory. In M. E. Roloff & G. R. Miller (Eds.), Interpersonal Processes: New
directions in communication research (pp. 257-277) Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Exemplar article:
Chen, Y. & Nakazawa, M. (2009). Influences of culture on self-disclosure as relationally situated
in intercultural and interracial friendships from a social penetration perspective. Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, 38(2), 77-98. doi:10.1080/17475750903395408
Specific Purpose:
The theory explains how people self-disclose and the repercussions for self-disclosure.
Key terms, concepts, and definitions:
Relationships tend to be more likely to form when self-disclosure is reciprocal, symmetrical, and incremental. Reciprocal self-disclosure indicates that conversational partners share equal amounts of information at the beginning, and symmetrical self-disclosure means that it is equally deep or superficial. Incremental self-disclosure means that disclosure gradually goes from casual small talk to revelations about attitudes, values, and beliefs.
The theory is commonly linked with the idea of an onion, meaning that as we become closer to people, we peel back layers of our personality, like an onion.
What does the theory do?
The theory defines self-disclosure in a better way than Uncertainty Reduction Theory.
Where can it be applied?
The theory has been applied to studies of liking in order to see if self-disclosure leads to liking or liking leads to self disclosure. There is a reciprocal relationship between liking and self-disclosure. However, self disclosure does not always lead to liking.
Summary source:
Altman, I. & Taylor D. A. (1973). Social Penetration, New York, NY: Holst, Rinehart, Winston.
Altman, I. & Taylor, D. A. (1987). Communication in interpersonal relationships: Social
Penetration Theory. In M. E. Roloff & G. R. Miller (Eds.), Interpersonal Processes: New
directions in communication research (pp. 257-277) Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Exemplar article:
Chen, Y. & Nakazawa, M. (2009). Influences of culture on self-disclosure as relationally situated
in intercultural and interracial friendships from a social penetration perspective. Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, 38(2), 77-98. doi:10.1080/17475750903395408