The Social Penetration Theory was originally created by Irwin Altman and Dalmas Taylor. The theory deals with the ways in which relationships develop and progress. It explains how communication enriches the relationship of two or more individuals.

When was social penetration theory originated?

Altman, I., & Taylor, D. (1973). Social penetration: The development of interpersonal relationships. New York, NY: Holt.

What does social penetration theory explain?

Social penetration theory was developed to explain how information exchange functions in the development and dissolution of interpersonal relationships. Social penetration describes the process of bonding that moves a relationship from superficial to more intimate (Altman & Taylor, 1973).

Who is Irwin Altman and Dalmas Taylor?

Irwin Altman and Dalmas Taylor established the social penetration theory in 1973. They created this theory to have a better understanding of intimate relationships between two people.

What does social penetration theory predict?

The social penetration theory states that as relationships develop, communication moves from relatively shallow, nonintimate levels to deeper, more personal ones. Individual Interpretations: The more time we spend with others, the more likely we are to self-disclose more initmate thought and details of our life.

What is social penetration theory PDF?

Abstract. Social penetration theory describes the role of disclosure in relationship development, focusing specifically on how self-disclosure functions in developing relationships. … In developing relationships, people use self-disclosure to increase intimacy including through breadth, depth, and the norm of reciprocity …

Who proposed uncertainty reduction theory?

The uncertainty reduction theory was first proposed by American communication theorists Charles Berger and Richard Calabrese in their 1975 paper “Some explorations in initial interaction and beyond”.

Which concepts are most closely associated with social exchange theory?

Which concepts are most closely associated with social exchange theory? The minimax principle states that people: Maximize benefits and minimize costs. Altman’s research on territoriality indicated that our ‘onion’ includes both our mind and physical space.

What is the onion theory?

It is sometimes called the “onion theory” of personality. Personality is like a multi-layered onion with public self on the outer layer and private self at the core. As time passes and intimacy grows, the layers of one’s personality begin to unfold to reveal the core of the person.

What are the limitations of social penetration theory?

A weakness of this theory is there are so many other variables that can change the outcome. Not everyone ‘s relationships follow the sequential order. There are times where someone is forced to have a close connection in a short amount of time.

Article first time published on

How dialectical theory relates to social penetration theory and to self disclosure?

Social penetration theory. states that as we get to know someone, we engage in a reciprocal process of self-disclosure that changes in breadth and depth and affects how a relationship develops. … The theory also argues that people in a relationship balance needs that are sometimes in tension, which is a dialectic.

What is penetration theory in mass transfer?

The penetration theory expresses the liquid-side mass transfer coefficient in terms of the contact time (θ) and the molecular diffusivity of the gas in the liquid according to Equation (2).

What is penetration in psychology?

Depth of penetration is defined as: The degree in which someone is intimate with someone else. This does not necessarily refer to sexual activity, but more to the idea of how open and close someone can become with another person despite their anxiety over self-disclosure.

What has research about conflict established?

What has research about conflict established? Happy couples recognize disagreements as healthy and know that conflicts need to be faced. What communication skill might couples who handle conflicts effectively use?

Is social penetration theory objective or interpretive?

The social penetration theory is known as an objective theory as opposed to an interpretive theory, meaning that it is based on data drawn from experiments and not from conclusions based on individuals’ specific experiences.

When was uncertainty reduction theory created?

In 1975 communications researchers Charles Berger and Richard Calebrese developed the uncertainty reduction theory (URT). Their objective was to understand how two individuals communicate with each other during an initial encounter.

Who applied uncertainty reduction theory to intercultural communication?

Terms in this set (33) Gudykunst applied the uncertainty reduction theory to develop the concept of the “stranger” – People in other groups that act in ways different from one’s own culture.

What is uncertainty reduction theory example?

Uncertainty Reduction Theory It states that people need to reduce uncertainty about other individuals by gaining information about them. For example, your friend, Sam, invites you to join her and her co-workers for dinner. … This gives you a feeling of uncertainty. You feel a need to know more about this person.

Why is social penetration theory criticized?

Critique of social penetration theory. … In this theory it is very easy to predict what will happen in future. This is because if the costs involved in information exchange are more that the rewards received, then the individuals or partners will end the relationship (Littlejohn 121).

What is media Multiplexity theory?

Media multiplexity theory (MMT; Haythornthwaite 2005) provides a theoretical rationale for why technology can strengthen family relationships. According to this theory, the more technological connections (i.e., multimodality) an individual has with their family members, the stronger that relationship.

Who created onion model?

Edgar Schein, often referred to as the godfather of organizational culture, developed a model that illuminates three different levels of culture.

What does peel back the onion mean?

This means to delve into a problem, one layer at a time, to thoroughly understand what’s causing all the trouble.

Which theory suggests that we gain information to interact effectively?

Answer: Social information processing theory, also known as SIP, is an interpersonal communication theory and media studies theory developed in 1992 by Joseph Walther.

What is Bandura social learning theory?

Social learning theory, proposed by Albert Bandura, emphasizes the importance of observing, modelling, and imitating the behaviors, attitudes, and emotional reactions of others. Social learning theory considers how both environmental and cognitive factors interact to influence human learning and behavior.

What is the difference between social exchange theory and equity theory?

Unlike Social Exchange Theory that argues how people try to maximise rewards and minimise costs in relationships, Equity Theory suggests that partners are concerned about fairness in relationships. Fairness is achieved when people feel they get approximately what they deserve from relationships.

Why do social relationships matter so much to us?

When we feel close to someone, we tend to share these resources in times of need. Further, our social relationships bring health rewards. They actually help us stay healthy. Studies have shown that the more social relationships someone has, the greater the person’s ability to fight the common cold.

How would you describe the importance of communication in the light of social penetration theory?

Communication allows us to share experiences, come to know ourselves and others, and form relationships, but it requires time and effort. You don’t get to know someone in a day, a month, or even a year. … According to social penetration theory, we fear that which we do not know. That includes people.

What are the three degrees of self disclosure according to the penetration theory?

According to the social-penetration theory, there are degrees of self-disclosure in breadth and depth, ranging from relatively safe (revealing your hobbies or musical preferences), to more personal topics (illuminating fears, dreams for the future, or fantasies).

Which theory suggests that the intimacy between two people will increase as they reveal information about themselves to each other?

Nathan and Lakshmi meet for the first time in a psychology study in which they are asked to reveal information about themselves, taking turns. As each person decides to reveal increasingly personal information, the other person matches that level of intimacy. This tendency is called: disclosure reciprocity.

What do you mean by Sherwood number?

The Sherwood number (Sh) (also called the mass transfer Nusselt number) is a dimensionless number used in mass-transfer operation. It represents the ratio of the convective mass transfer to the rate of diffusive mass transport, and is named in honor of Thomas Kilgore Sherwood.

What is the difference between two film theory and penetration theory of mass transfer?

The film theory assumes that there is a region in which steady state molecular transfer is controlling; the penetration theory as- sumes that the interface is continuously replaced by eddies and that unsteady state molecular transfer into the eddies controls the transfer in this region.