Variables Affecting the Perception of Self-Disclosure Appropriateness

The perception of appropriate self-disclosure was examined as a function of sex of the interactants, intimacy, and valence of self-disclosure. Dependent variables investigated in addition to perceived appropriateness were perceived friendliness, maturity, warmth, psychological adjustment, openness, emotional stability, and sensitivity of the discloser; and mutual liking of, and desire for future contact with, the discloser. Normative evaluations of male or female confederate disclosure where intimacy level and valence had been experimentally manipulated, were provided by 64 male and 64 female volunteer undergraduate Ss, who were randomly assigned to the 16 cells of a 2(sex of discloser/confederate) × 2(sex of recipient/subject) × 2(intimacy) × 2(valence) factorial design. Interpersonal evaluations of the discloser occurred in the context of a structured acquaintance session. Female recipients were more receptive to disclosure thus viewing it as appropriate. Positive disclosure in contrast to negative disclosure was considered appropriate. The positive discloser was seen as more adjusted and emotionally stable and hence future contact with him was sought. Intimate disclosure between same-sexed persons was negatively sanctioned.