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Communication Theory Application Paper: Social Penetration Theory

Communication Theory Application Paper:

Social Penetration Theory
Erica Hardy
COM 305- University of North Carolina Wilmington
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Communication Theory Application Paper: Social Penetration Theory

Abstract
The goal of Social Penetration Theory is to self-disclose, which increases vulnerability and

intimacy. People engage in self-disclosure in efforts to deepen a relationship. Self-disclosure is

a gradual process and must be mutual. The biggest critique of this theory is that humans can

have malicious intentions of self-disclosing with no intent of bondage resulting in de penetration.

Social Penetration Theory

Social Penetration Theory was co-constructed by Irwin Altman and Dalmas Taylor in

1973. Social Penetration is defined as the process of developing deeper intimacy with another

person through mutual self-disclosure and other forms of vulnerability. The goal of Social

Penetration Theory is to self-disclose, meaning the voluntary sharing of personal history,

preferences, attitudes, feelings, values, secrets, etc., with another person; transparency. There are

two dimensions of self-disclosure. The depth of penetration, or the degree of disclosure in a

specific area of an individual’s life, is how you measure self-disclosure. The second is the

breadth of penetration, which is defined as the range of areas in an individual’s life over which

disclosure takes place. “According to social penetration theory, it all depends on the cost–benefit

analysis that each man performs as he considers the possibility of a closer relationship” (Griffin,

117). To measure the cost-benefit of a situation you must subtract the costs from the rewards

which will determine your outcome. Typically, the goal is to have greater rewards than costs.

This idea that people seek to maximize their benefits and minimize their costs is called the

minimax principle. While this principle holds a lot of truth, it is also a major critique of the

theory. Other theorists argue that relationships are much more complicated than clear cut costs

and rewards. Costs and rewards in relationships are not always black and white, so they claim it

is a lot more difficult to truly measure intangible costs and rewards.

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Communication Theory Application Paper: Social Penetration Theory

Self-Disclosure Among Bloggers: Re-Examination of Social Penetration Theory

Self-disclosure can be tricky when it comes to self-disclosing online. The article, Self-

Disclosure Among Bloggers: Re-Examination of Social Penetration Theory, addresses a study

(Dr. Jih-Hsin Tang and Cheng-Chung Wang, 2012) that surveyed bloggers. They were

interested in the differences of depth and breadth these bloggers self-disclosed with divided up

into three subjects: their online viewers, their best friends and their parents. The big underlying

question they were trying to uncover was what do bloggers self-disclose about? To further

explore this question, they proposed three research questions. The first being what exactly do

the bloggers self-disclose on their blogs? The second asking to what extent, in depth and

breadth, do bloggers share their thoughts and feelings on the internet? And finally, the third

research question was to what extent, in depth and breadth, do bloggers share their thoughts and

feelings to their best friends and parents in the real world?

Their findings concluded that bloggers discussed a wider range of breadth with their

online audiences than with their personal friends and parents but did not go into as much depth.

Generally, bloggers self-disclosed more both in depth and breadth to their personal best friends

followed by their parents, and then self-disclosed in the least amount of depth with their online

viewers. Bloggers will self-disclose a wide range of experiences, interests and likes with their

audiences and not as often their private information. This suggests that bloggers might express

themselves online in a particular way to attract only those who share the same interest and values

as themselves. This assumption overlaps with Cognitive Dissonance Theory which states that

people strive for consistency. People will use selective exposure, post-decision dissonance and

minimal justification to prevent cognitive dissonance and induce changes in attitude.

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Communication Theory Application Paper: Social Penetration Theory

Self-disclosure and new communication technologies: The implications of receiving

superficial self-disclosures from friends
While most studies on Social Penetration Theory examine the effects of general self-

disclosure between people, this study focuses on specifically superficial self-disclosure between

friends. This study (Steven A. Rains, et al., 2012) defines superficial self-disclosure as “public

or non-intimate information about [one’s] self” (Rains, 43). Additionally, the study targets this

kind of superficial self-disclosure among new communication technologies, such as e-mail,

texting, calling, status updates and instant messaging, to name five of the most common types.

The theorists came up with three hypotheses. The first being “The proportion of superficial self-

disclosures received from a friend is negatively associated with (a) liking, (b) relationship

satisfaction, and (c) willingness to provide social support” (Rains, 46). The second hypothesis

states “the total volume of self-disclosures received from a friend moderates the relationship

between the proportion of superficial self-disclosures received and (a) liking, (b) relationship

satisfaction, and (c) willingness to provide social support” (Rains, 47). Lastly, the third

hypothesis concludes that “Perceived relationship costs mediate the associations between the

proportion of superficial self-disclosures received from a friend and the three relationship

outcomes” (Rains, 47). Overall, superficial self-disclosure has a negative connotation even

though today it is necessary in forming new friendships to a certain extent. It only becomes

problematic when superficial self-disclosures become the highest level of self-disclosure in a

relationship.

Social Penetration: A Description, Research, and Evaluation.

Allensworth states the two hypotheses that Altman and Taylor came up with to explain

Social Penetration. Hypothesis 1 states that, “Interpersonal exchange gradually progresses from
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Communication Theory Application Paper: Social Penetration Theory

superficial, nonintimate areas to more intimate, deeper layers of the sleeves as social factors”

(Allensworth, 6). As stated in hypothesis 2, “People assess interpersonal rewards and costs,

satisfaction and dissatisfaction, gained from interaction with others, and advancement of the

relationship is heavily dependent on the amount and nature of the rewards and costs”

(Allensworth, 6). To better explain this topic, Allensworth uses the example situation of co-

workers conversing while at work. To explain the first hypothesis, at first, the co-workers will

conversate only about superficial work-related topics. Then, as they become more comfortable

and open with one another, they will begin to move out of that superficial stage and progress to

conversations that involve more personal statements at a more intimate level. Hypothesis 1 is an

excellent example of differentiating levels of depth and breadth. An example to better explain

the second hypothesis would be referring to someone you did not trust, whom which you then

had to learn to trust. She explains this process, “in the beginning, not being able to trust them

was a high cost to you. As you began to trust them that cost actually became a reward”

(Allensworth, 7). This situation demonstrates how costs and rewards can be interchangeable and

therefore the theory is not as straight forward as it claims to be.

Reflection and Suggestions

One critique of the Social Penetration Theory is that self-disclosure can result in de

penetration and can be shared maliciously with no intent of bondage. For this theory to be more

accurate it needs to address this flaw and come up with a way to way out the outliers of

malicious intentions. As mentioned before, another critique of this theory is that relationships

are much more complicated than clear cut costs and rewards. Once again, if the theory had a

different formula than just rewards minus risks it would be a lot more accurate.
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Communication Theory Application Paper: Social Penetration Theory

Overall, this theory has been very interesting to learn about as it applies to everyday life.

Understanding this theory will help us as humans to better know how to adjust to others when

first forming relationships with them. It teaches us to be more vulnerable and open when

wanting vulnerability and openness from the person at the other end. It also helps us to consider

all options at the comparative level and the alternative comparative level. These levels

personally define what our threshold for a relationship is as well as what the best outcome

available in other relationships are. These two levels help us to predict relational stability and

relational satisfaction.

All phenomenon’s in the concurrent communication landscape have room to be studied

more. Things are constantly changing, and nothing is ever set in stone. With that said, no theory

is ever ‘finished’. As we continue to conduct studies about human behavior and interaction,

there will continue to be a need for updating previously defined communication theories. Using

the Social Penetration theory for example, now that multiple critiques have come out about the

discovery of humans’ malicious intentions, the theory needs to be updated addressing these

obstacles for it to stay accurate and up to date. Otherwise, the theories will all become outdated

and therefore useless.

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Communication Theory Application Paper: Social Penetration Theory

References

Allensworth, Nicole J. (1996 March). Social Penetration: A Description, Research, and

Evaluation. Memphis, TN: University of Memphis.

Griffin, E. A. (2006). A First Look at Communication Theory. Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Rains, Stephan A., Brunner, Steven R., Oman, Kyle. (February 1, 2016). Journal of Social and

Personal Relationships. Self-disclosure and new communication technologies: The

implications of receiving superficial self-disclosures from friends. 33(1), 42-61, doi:

/10.1177/0265407514562561

Tan, Jih-Hsin P.H.D., Wang, Cheng-Chung M.B.A. (2012 May). Cyberpsychology, Behavior

and Social Networking. Self-Disclosure Among Bloggers: Re-Examination of Social

Penetration Theory. 15(5), 245-250, doi: 10.1089/cyber.2011.0403