An interpersonal analysis of self-disclosure and feedback

Subjects indicated the extent to which they had disclosed positive and negative trait information to each of three friends in the course of their relationships. Disclosure of one's own traits (self-disclosure) was compared with the disclosure of one's perception of a friend's traits (feedback disclosure). Positive and negative self-disclosure and feedback grouped themselves as suggested by Leary's model of interpersonal behavior, indicating that these relationships are more characterized by affiliative than by dominant responding (p < 0.01). In addition, feedback was higher than self-disclosure (p < 0.05), females disclosed more than males (p < 0.01), negative self-disclosure was higher than positive self-disclosure (p < 0.01), and positive feedback was higher than negative feedback (p < 0.01).