Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Gender and Self-Disclosure

Strategies for Exploring the Issues

  • Chapter
Self-Disclosure

Part of the book series: Perspectives in Social Psychology ((PSPS))

Abstract

The relationship between gender and self-disclosure is a topic of research for which some of the clearest predictions have been made, yet some of the most puzzling results have been obtained. In this chapter we review strategies that we and others have used in efforts to solve the puzzle. Our goal is to explore issues that have been addressed in the past and to identify issues that need to be addressed in the future.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

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

    Google Scholar 

  • Annicchiarico, L. K. B. (1973). Sex differences in self-disclosure as related to sex and status of the interviewer (Doctoral dissertation, University of Texas at Austin, 1973). Dissertation Abstracts International, 34, 2296B.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aries, E. (1976). Interaction patterns and themes of male, female, and mixed groups. Small Group Behavior, 7, 7–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Axel, R. A. (1979). The relationship of discloser-disclosee sex and discloser self-ascribed sex-role to self-disclosing behavior (Doctoral dissertation, New York University, 1979). Dissertation Abstracts International, 40(3-B), 1347–1348.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baffi, C. R. (1979). The influence of sex role identification on college males’ performance in achievement and self-disclosure tasks (Doctoral dissertation, University of Maryland, 1979). Dissertation Abstracts International, 40(5-B), 2331.

    Google Scholar 

  • Banikiotes, P. G., Kubinski, J. A., & Pursell, S. A. (1981). Sex role orientation, self-disclosure, and gender-related perceptions, Journal of Counseling Psychology, 28, 140–146.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Banikiotes, P. G., & Merluzzi, T. V. (1981). Impact of counselor gender and counselor sex role orientation on perceived counselor characteristics. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 28, 342–348.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bern, S. L. (1974). The measurement of psychological androgyny, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 42, 155–162.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bern, S. L. (1977). On the utility of alternative procedures for assessing psychological androgyny. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 45, 196–205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bern, S. L. (1979). Theory and measurement of androgyny: A reply to the Pedhazur-Telenbaum and Locksley-Colten critiques. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 37, 1047–1054.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bern, S. L. (1981). Gender schema theory: A cognitive account of sex typing. Psychological Review, 88, 354–364.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bender, V. L., Davis, Y., Glover, O., & Stapp, J. (1976). Patterns of self-disclosure in homosexual and heterosexual college students. Sex Roles, 2, 149–160.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berg, J., & Peplau, L. A. (1982). Loneliness: The relationship of self-disclosure and androgyny. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 8, 624–630.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bergey, S. F. (1977). Teachers’ response to self-disclosure of children (Doctoral dissertation, University of Pennsylvania, 1977). Dissertation Abstracts International, 37(7-A), 4220.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brannon, R., & Juni, S. (1984). A scale for measuring attitudes toward masculinity. Psychological Documents, 14 6–7 (ms. 2012).

    Google Scholar 

  • Brehm, S. S. (1985). Intimate relationships. New York: Random House.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brooks, L. (1974). Interactive effects of sex and status on self-disclosure. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 11, 469–474.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cash, T. F. (1975). Self-disclosure in the acquaintance process: Effects of sex, physical attractiveness, and approval motivation (Doctoral dissertation, George Peabody College for Teachers, 1975). Dissertation Abstracts International, 35, 3572B.

    Google Scholar 

  • Certner, B. C. (1970). The exchange of self-disclosures in same-sexed and heterosexual groups of strangers. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati.)

    Google Scholar 

  • Chaikin, A. L., & Derlega, V. J. (1974) Self-disclosure. Morristown, NJ: General Learning Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chelune, G. J. (1976) The self-disclosure situations survey: A new approach to measuring self-disclosure. JSAS Catalog of Selected Documents in Psychology, 6, 111–112 (Ms. 1367).

    Google Scholar 

  • Chelune, G. J. (Ed.). (1979). Self-disclosure. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clavier, D. E. (1979). Psychological androgyny and individual differences in an inequitable exchange of self-disclosure (Doctoral dissertation, Florida State University, 1979). Dissertation Abstracts International, 40(6-A), 2981.

    Google Scholar 

  • Colwill, N. L., & Perlman, D. (1977). Effects of sex and relationship on self-disclosure. JSAS Catalog of Selected Documents in Psychology, 7, 40 (Ms. 1470).

    Google Scholar 

  • Cook, E. P. (1985). Psychological androgyny. New York: Pergamon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cozby, P. C. (1972). Self-disclosure, reciprocity, and liking. Sociometry, 35, 151–160.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cozby, P. C. (1973). Self-disclosure: A literature review. Psychological Bulletin, 79, 73–91.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cunningham, J. A. (1981). Effects of intimacy and sex-role congruency of self-disclosure (Doctoral dissertation, University of Utah). Dissertation Abstracts International, 42(6-B), 2597.

    Google Scholar 

  • Das, B. D. (1982). Self disclosure, androgyny, and the attribution of maladjustment (Doctoral dissertation, Illinois Institute of Technology, 1981). Dissertation Abstracts International, 42(8-B), 3396.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis, J. D. (1978). When boy meets girl: Sex roles and the negotiation of intimacy in an acquaintance exercise. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 36, 684–692.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Denton, E. A. (1982). The effects of gender and sex role orientation on written self-disclosure (Doctoral dissertation, University of Tennessee). Dissertation Abstracts International, 42(11-B), 4617.

    Google Scholar 

  • Derlega, V. J., & Chaikin, A. L. (1976). Norms affecting self-disclosure in men and women. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 44, 376–380.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Derlega, V. J., Winstead, B. A., Wong, P. T. P., & Hunter, S. (1985). Gender effects in an initial encounter: A case where men exceed women in disclosure. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 2, 25–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doster, J. A. (1976). Sex role learning and interview communication. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 23, 482–485.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Downs, A. C., & Engleson, S. A. (1982). The Attitudes Toward Men Scale (AMS): An analysis of the role and status of men and masculinity. JSAS Catalog of Selected Documents in Psychology, 12, 45 (Ms. 2503).

    Google Scholar 

  • Doyle, J. A., & Moore, R. J. (1978). Attitudes toward the Male’s Role Scale (AMR): An objective instrument to measure attitudes toward the male’s sex role in contemporary society. JASA Catalog of Selected Documents in Psychology, 8, 35, (Ms. 1678).

    Google Scholar 

  • Feldstein, J. C. (1979). Effects of counselor sex and sex-role and client sex on clients’ perceptions and self-disclosure in a counseling analogue study, Journal of Counseling Psychology, 26, 437–443.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fielden, P. M. (1982). Sex-role and gender influences upon self-disclosing behavior (Doctoral dissertation, University of Alabama, 1982). Dissertation Abstracts International, 43(5-A), 4617.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fischer, K. I. (1979). Studies in the relationships of psychosocial competence, gender and sex role orientation to appropriate flexibility and amount of self-disclosure (Doctoral dissertation, University of Delaware). Dissertation Abstracts International, 42(5-B), 2054–2055.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goffman, E. (1967). The nature of deference and demeanor. In E. Goffman (Ed.), Interaction ritual (pp. 47–95). Garden City, NY: Anchor.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gottman, J. M. (1979). Marital interaction. New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodstein, L. D., & Reinecker, V. M. (1974). Factors affecting self-disclosure: A review of the literature. In B. A. Maher (Ed.), Progress in experimental personality research, 7 (pp. 49–77). New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grigsby, J. P., & Weatherley, D. (1983). Gender and sex-role differences in intimacy of self-disclosure. Psychological Reports, 53(3, Part 1), 891–897.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haas, A. (1979). Male and female spoken language differences: Stereotypes and evidence. Psychological Bulletin, 86, 616–626.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hacker, H. M. (1981). Blabbermouths and clams: Sex differences in disclosure in same-sex and cross-sex friendship dyads. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 5(3), 385–401.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heilbrun, A. B. (1973). History of self-disclosure in females and early defection from psychotherapy. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 20, 250–257.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hill, C. (1980). Unpublished reanalyses of data from Rubin, Hill, Peplau, and Dunkel-Schetter.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill, C. (1981a). Unpublished data collected at the University of Washington, Spring 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill, C. (1981b). Unpublished data collected at the University of Washington, Autumn 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill, C. T., & Stull, D. E. (1982). Disclosure reciprocity: Conceptual and measurement issues. Social Psychology Quarterly, 45, 238–244.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hill, C. T., Rubin, Z., & Peplau, L. A. (1976). Breakups before marriage: The end of 103 affairs. Journal of Social Issues, 32(1), 147–168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hill, C. T., Peplau, L. A., & Rubin, Z. (1981). Differing perceptions in dating couples: Sex roles versus alternative explanations. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 5, 418–434.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hyink, P. W. (1975). The influence of client ego strength, client sex and therapist sex on the frequency, depth, and focus of client self-disclosure (Doctoral dissertation, Michigan State University, 1975). Dissertation Abstract International, 35, 4652B.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ickes, W., & Barnes, R. D. (1978). Boys and girls together—and alienated: On enacting stereotyped sex roles in mixed-sex dyads. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 36, 669–683.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Inman, D. J. (1978). Self-disclosure and interview reciprocity (Doctoral dissertation, Louisiana State University & Agriculture & Mining College, 1978). Dissertation Abstracts International, 38, 3398B.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, P. (1976). Women and power: Toward a theory of effectiveness. The Journal of Social Issues, 32(3), 99–110.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jourard, S. M. (1971a). Some lethal aspects of the male role. In S. M. Jourard (Ed.), The transparent self (rev. ed., pp. 34–44). New York: Van Nostrand.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jourard, S. M. (1971b). Self-disclosure: An experimental analysis of the transparent self. New York: Wiley-Interscience.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jourard, S. M., & Lasakow, P. (1958). Some factors in self-disclosure. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 56, 91–98.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Komarovsky, M. (1967). Blue-collar marriage. New York: Random House.

    Google Scholar 

  • Komarovsky, M. (1974). Patterns of self-disclosure of male undergraduates. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 36, 677–686.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lombardo, J. P., Franco, R., Wolf, T. M., & Fantasia, S. C. (1976). Interest in helping activities and self-disclosure to three targets on the Jourard Self-Disclosure Scale. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 42, 299–302.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lubinski, D. (1983). The androgyny dimension: A comment on Stokes, Childs, and Fuehrer, Journal of Counseling Psychology, 30(1), 130–133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Merluzzi, T. V., & Merluzzi, B. (1981). Androgyny, stereotypy and the perception of female therapists. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 37, 280–284.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, L. C., Berg, J. H., & Archer, R. L. (1983). Openers: Individuals who elicit intimate self-disclosure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 44, 1234–1244.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Millet, K. (1975). The shame is over. Ms., January 1975, pp. 26-29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, B. S. (1976). Intimacy of disclosure topics and sex differences in self-disclosure. Sex Roles, 2, 161–166.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morton, T. L. (1978). Intimacy and reciprocity of exchange: A comparison of spouses and strangers. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 36, 72–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mosher, D. L., & Sirkin, M. (1984). Measuring a macho personality constellation. Journal of Research in Personality, 18, 150–163.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Naurus, L. R., & Fischer, J. L. (1982). Strong but not silent: A reexamination of expressivity in the relationships of men. Sex Roles, 8, 159–168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orlofsky, J. L. (1981). Relationship of sex role attitudes and personality traits and the Sex Role Behavior Scale-1: A new measure of masculine and feminine role behaviors and interests. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 40, 927–940.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pearson, J. C. (1980). Sex role and self-disclosure. Psychological Reports, 47, 640.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peplau, L. A. (1979). Power in dating relationships. In J. Freeman (Ed.), Women: A feminist perspective (2nd ed., pp. 106-121). Palo Alto, CA: Mayfield.

    Google Scholar 

  • Piliavin, J. A., & Martin, R. R. (1978). The effects of the sex composition of groups on style of social interaction. Sex Roles, 4(2), 281–296.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pleck, J. H. (1976). The male sex role: Definitions, problems, and sources of change. Journal of Social Issues, 32(1), 155–164.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rickers-Ovsiankina, M. (1956). Social accessibility in three age groups. Psychological Reports, 2, 283–294.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenfeld, L. B., Civikly, J. M., & Herron, J. R. (1979). Anatomical and psychological sex differences. In G. J. Chelune (Ed.), Self-disclosure (pp. 80–109). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rubin, Z. (1974). Lovers and other strangers: The development of intimacy in encounters and relationships. American Scientist, 62(2), 182–190.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rubin, Z. (1976). Naturalistic studies of self-disclosure. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 2, 260–263.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rubin, Z., & Shenker, S. (1978). Friendship, proximity, and self-disclosure. Journal of Personality, 46, 1–11.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rubin, Z., Hill, C. T., Peplau, L. A., & Dunkel-Schetter, C. (1980). Self-disclosure in dating couples: Sex roles and the ethic of openness. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 42, 305–317.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Slobin, D. I., Miller, S. H., & Porter, L. W. (1968). Forms of address and social relations in a business organization. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 8, 289–293.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Small, A., Gross, R., Erdwins, C., & Gessner, T. (1979). Social attitude correlates of sex role. Journal of Psychology, 101, 115–121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Snell, W. E., Jr. (1983). The masculine role inventory: Components and correlates. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, The University of Texas at Austin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Snell, W. E., Jr., Belk, S. S., & Hawkins, R. C. II. (1984). The stereotypes about male sexuality scale: Components, correlates, antecedents, and counselors’ perceptions. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Southwestern Psychological Association, San Antonio, Texas.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spence, J. T., & Helmreich, R. L. (1978). Masculinity & femininity: Their psychological dimensions, correlates & antecedents. Austin: The University of Texas Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spence, J. T., Helmreich, R., & Stapp, J. (1975). Ratings of self and peers on sex role attributes and their relation to self-esteem and conceptions of masculinity and femininity, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 32, 29–39.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stokes, J. (1983). Androgyny as an interactive concept: A reply to Lubinski. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 30, 134–136.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stokes, J., Childs, L., & Fuehrer, A. (1981). Gender and sex roles as predictors of self-disclosure. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 28, 510–514.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stull, D. E. (1981). Sex differences in self-disclosure: A comparison of men’s and women’s same-sex relationships. (Unpublished master’s thesis, University of Washington).

    Google Scholar 

  • Switkin, L. R. (1974). Self-disclosure as a function of sex roles, experimenter-subject distance, sex of experimenter and intimacy of topics (Doctoral dissertation, St. Louis University, 1974). Dissertation Abstracts International, 35(5-B), 2451.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, M. C., & Hall, J. A. (1982). Psychological androgyny: Theories, methods, and conclusions. Psychological Bulletin, 92, 347–366.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Winstead, B. A., Derlega, V. J., & Wong, P. T. P. (1984). Effects of sex-role orientation on behavioral self-disclosure. Journal of Research in Personality, 18(4), 541–553.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Whittier College, Whittier, California, 90608, USA

    Charles T. Hill

  2. Department of Sociology, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio, 44325, USA

    Donald E. Stull

Authors
  1. Charles T. Hill
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Donald E. Stull
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, USA

    Valerian J. Derlega

  2. University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi, USA

    John H. Berg

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1987 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Hill, C.T., Stull, D.E. (1987). Gender and Self-Disclosure. In: Derlega, V.J., Berg, J.H. (eds) Self-Disclosure. Perspectives in Social Psychology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-3523-6_5

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-3523-6_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-3525-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-3523-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation