SELF-DISCLOSURE

Self-disclosure

Self-disclosure

Self-disclosure is seen as a useful strategy for sharing information with others. By sharing information, we become more intimate with other people and our interpersonal relationship is strengthened. Read about self-disclosure and then complete the interactive activity and take a short quiz to test your understanding of the concept (Alberts & Loschiavo, 2005, 299).

Definition

Self-disclosure is not simply providing information to another person. Instead, scholars define self-disclosure as sharing information with others that they would not normally know or discover. Self-disclosure involves risk and vulnerability on the part of the person sharing the information. (Leung, 2002, 241)

1) In what type of situation would you self-disclose personal information? Explain

Appropriate self-disclosure can help people to trust you and like you. Usually when people work together or hang out together, personal life will come up as a topic. One person will disclose something, and the other person will be expected to disclose something in return. It could be as simple as "yeah, rush hour makes me crazy too," or "I have a nephew that same age." Even when the self-disclosure is small however, it indicates to the other person that you are willing to be open and honest in the relationship and that you aren't hiding yourself. All of this doesn't go on consciously of course... we don't usually look at someone who doesn't reciprocate self-disclosure and say "that guy is untrustworthy," but subconsciously I think it happens. It also helps people to be comfortable around you when you are interested in their lives. For instance, at my job, a man sits in the cubicle next to me who always wants to talk about his grandchildren.

If I choose not to listen to him, our relationship would become more strained. If I choose to listen to him, and reply appropriately, then usually ...