ABSTRACT

IT has been hypothesized that self-disclosure is reciprocal (cf. Altman, 1973; Altman & Taylor, 1973; Chaikin & Derlega, 1974b; Chelune, 1978; Cozby, 1973; Derlega & Chaikin, 1975; Jourard, 1971; Pearce & Sharp, 1973). Despite the fact that more than fifty studies have examined the proposition that self-disclosure is reciprocal, it remains a hypothesis. The proposition is unconfirmed because the studies that attempted to test the hypothesis failed to employ an operational definition of reciprocity that was consistent with the conceptual definition.