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Testing Two Theoretical Explanations for the Attraction‐Enhancing Effects of Self‐Disclosure
Author(s) -
Ellingson Kari Trexler,
Galassi John P.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
journal of counseling and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.805
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1556-6676
pISSN - 0748-9633
DOI - 10.1002/j.1556-6676.1995.tb01790.x
Subject(s) - self disclosure , friendship , psychology , valence (chemistry) , context (archaeology) , social psychology , differential effects , similarity (geometry) , medicine , paleontology , physics , quantum mechanics , artificial intelligence , computer science , image (mathematics) , biology
The study investigated the differential ability of similarity theory and social exchange theory to predict the effects of self‐disclosure in a counseling versus a friendship encounter The participants were 80 undergraduates. A 2 (counseling or friendship) × 2 (positive or negative disclosure) × 2 (relevant or irrelevant disclosure) design was used in which participants rated the videotaped self‐disclosure of an individual in an initial dyadic encounter. Unequivocal support was not obtained for either of the theories, but relationship context (counselor vs. peer) influenced the effects of disclosure as measured on counselor‐peer and relationship characteristics. A unique feature of the study was the use of the Client Reactions System (CRS) to measure participants' immediate reactions to self‐disclosure. The CRS demonstrated both relationship context and valence of disclosure (positive or negative) effects.