INTIMACY AS AN INTERPERSONAL PROCESS - THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-DISCLOSURE, PARTNER DISCLOSURE, AND PERCEIVED PARTNER RESPONSIVENESS IN INTERPERSONAL EXCHANGES
Jp. Laurenceau et al., INTIMACY AS AN INTERPERSONAL PROCESS - THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-DISCLOSURE, PARTNER DISCLOSURE, AND PERCEIVED PARTNER RESPONSIVENESS IN INTERPERSONAL EXCHANGES, Journal of personality and social psychology, 74(5), 1998, pp. 1238-1251
H. T. Reis and P. Shaver's (1988) interpersonal pro;cess model of inti
macy suggests that both self-disclosure and partner responsiveness con
tribute to the experience of intimacy in interactions. Two studies tes
ted this model using an event-contingent diary methodology in which pa
rticipants provided information immediately after their social interac
tions over I (Study 1) or 2 (Study 2) weeks. For each interaction, par
ticipants reported on their self-disclosures. partner disclosures, per
ceived partner responsiveness, and degree of intimacy experienced in t
he interaction. Overall. the findings strongly supported the conceptua
lization of intimacy as a combination of self-disclosure and partner d
isclosure at the level of individual interactions with partner respons
iveness as a partial mediator in this process. Additionally, in Study
2, self-disclosure of emotion emerged as a more important predictor of
intimacy than did self-disclosure of facts and information.