| self disclosure | the details people reveal about themselves to a partner. As breadth and depth increase, romantic partners become more committed to each other. |
| social penetration theory | - concluded that trust is formed between partners when there is reciprocal exchange of information |
| elements of self disclosure : reciprocity | - reciprocity is essential in romantic relationships. itll increase intimacy and deepen the relationship |
| elements of self disclosure | breadth and depth |
| +ve eval of self disclosure theory | - research shown stated that men and women who used self disclosure and believed their partner reciprocated were more satisfied and committed to their relationships
- this research was also done on queer couples and they also agreed that self disclosure is vital to relationships |
| -ve of self disclosure theory | - cultural differences :based on western research so this cannot be applied to all cultures
- a lot of self disclosure research is correlational. this means that self disclosure may not be the reason for healthy, long lasting relationships |
