7.3 Explain the roles of self-disclosure and emotional expression in maintaining face-to-face and online relationships.

Many forms of interpersonal communication are necessary to maintain successful, satisfying relationships. An important communication skill is self-disclosure, or voluntarily providing information to others that they wouldn’t learn if you didn’t tell them. Self-disclosure is characterized by three aspects: (1) reciprocity, (2) appropriateness, and (3) risk.

Two models of self-disclosure help us understand how relationships progress toward intimacy. Social penetration suggests that interpersonal communication in relationships moves gradually from the superficial to the more intimate. The breadth and depth of communication increase as intimacy increases in relationships. The Johari Window depicts various stages of relational development, degrees of self-awareness, and others’ perceptions.

Emotional expression is another powerful mechanism for revealing ourselves to others and deepening our relationships.