The Pros And Cons Of Self-Disclosure

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What exactly is self-disclosure? Is it simply telling someone about you, or is there more to it than that? According to Essentials of Human Communication, self-disclosure can best be defined as “a form of communication in which information about the self that is normally kept hidden is communicated to one or more others” (DeVito 2013). A perfect example of this is how secrets are exchanged between friends once they gain one another’s trust. Other forms of self-disclosure include calling someone by the wrong name and avoiding eye contact. Throughout the course of this paper, self-disclosure will be expressed in further detail, including its influencing factors, rewards, dangers, and guidelines. First, let’s talk about what influences self-disclosure. …show more content…

The guidelines are as follows: “consider the motivation for the self-disclosure”, "consider the appropriateness of the self-disclosure”, “consider the disclosures of the other person”, and “consider the possible burdens self-disclosure might entail” (DeVito 2013). I have personally either used or violated each one of these guidelines. The guideline that I have violated is by not considering the burdens self-disclosure might entail. In the past, I have helped spread rumors about other people, simply to draw more attention to myself. In doing this, I wasn’t thinking about the feelings of others and how they could be negatively affected. By self-disclosing information that was most likely false, I put a burden on another person. I now realize that this is not a proper way to make a self-disclosure. But when it comes to the other guidelines, I believe that I have used them all correctly. Before self-disclosing, I always consider the motivation for what I am about to say, making sure it is for the good of the relationship and everyone involved. I also consider the appropriateness of the self-disclosure by making sure that the information is being told at the right place and the right time. And finally, I consider the disclosures of the other person by allowing them to disclose as

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