ABSTRACT
Self-disclosure is the act of people revealing information about themselves to others. Self-disclosure often affects people’s lives in positive ways. Social Penetration Theory (Altman & Taylor, 1973) suggests that people get close to each other through self-disclosure. Having a high level of self-disclosure to a romantic partner can increase positive relationship outcomes, including liking, love, trust, and relationship satisfaction. However, too much self-disclosure may negatively affect relationship outcomes. When one person discloses too much and too intimate information to another person, the self-disclosure may arouse anxiety in the other. In addition, people with a secure attachment style or an ambivalent attachment style, tend to self-disclose more than people with an avoidant attachment style. Further, people with a secure attachment style tend to reciprocate self-disclosure more than people with an ambivalent or avoidant attachment style. A romantic partner’s responsiveness to self-disclosure is also important in relationship outcomes, suggesting that the partner needs to respond to the discloser in an understanding, caring, or validating way in order to develop the relationship.
