Self-Monitoring and Self-Disclosure Flexibility: A Research Note

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Winter 1-1-1982

Department

Communication Studies

School

Communication

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of person specific and contextual factors on college students’ tendency to vary self‐disclosures in different situations. Subjects classified as high on Snyder's self‐monitoring scale were predicted to be more flexible in their disclosures. It was also thought that males and females may differ inflexibility, and that students may vary their disclosures differently to groups than to dyads and to strangers than to friends. Using Chelune's self‐disclosure situation survey, this study examined self‐reported disclosure. Results indicated that students who were high in self‐monitoring varied their disclosures more than students who were low in self‐monitoring. However, males and females did not differ. Disclosures to strangers were more varied than disclosures to friends. The implications of these findings for interpersonal communication research were discussed.

Publication Title

Western Journal of Speech Communication

Volume

46

Issue

1

First Page

92

Last Page

97

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