1. Social Media Disclosure and
the Social Penetration Theory
Cris Swaters | COM 609 | 10 Nov. 2010

2. Overview
• Social Penetration Theory
• Research
• Facebook and Disclosure
• Conclusion

3. Introduction
“Ogres are like onions… we have layers”

4. Social Penetration Theory
• Dalmas Taylor and Irwin Altman
• Social Penetration is…
“the reciprocal behaviors that occur between individuals in the development of an
interpersonal relationship. These behaviors include the exchange of information,
exchange of expressions of positive and negative affect, and mutual activities”
(Taylor, 1968, p. 79).
• Initial study
Taylor, D. A. (1968). The development of interpersonal relationships: Social penetration processes. Journal of Social Psychology, 75(1),
79-90.

5. Four Levels of Disclosure

6. Four Levels of Disclosure
1. Orientation
2. Exploratory Affective Exchange
3. Affective Exchange
4. Stable Exchange
Taylor, D. A. (1987). Communication in interpersonal relationships: Social penetration processes. In Roloff, M. E. & Miller, G. R. (Eds.),
Interpersonal processes: New directions in communication research (pp. 257-277). Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.

7. Research
• Technorati
• Blogs
• Twitter

8. Technorati
• Blog search using terms:
– Family
– Children
– Traveling
• http://amymyles.blogspot.com/

10. Blogs: http://sentimentsofaslone.blogspot.com/
• Extreme
• Discloses about
herself and her
husband

11. Blog: http://mamabearcarm.blogspot.com/
• Extreme
• Divulges a lot of
information about her
family and two children

12. Blog: http://shannahhayley.blogspot.com/
• Stays on the outer layer of disclosure
• Doesn’t disclose husband’s name

13. Twitter
• Inner Layer Extreme

14. Twitter
• Outer Layer Extreme

15. Facebook Level 1

16. Facebook Level 2

17. Facebook Level 2

18. Facebook Level 3

19. Facebook Level 3

20. Facebook Level 4

21. Facebook Level 4

22. Facebook Level 4

25. Conclusion
• Social Media is an avenue for different levels of
disclosure.
• Questions?