Deck 8: Sharing Personal Information

Question 1

The process of intentionally telling another person personal information that they would have trouble finding out otherwise is referred to as ______.

A) self-knowledge
B) private information
C) self-disclosure
D) public information

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which statement is an example of self-disclosure?

A) "I feel really nervous before going to parties."
B) "I just got these new boots."
C) "I always order the spaghetti at this restaurant."
D) "I go running in the park every morning."

Answer 2

A

Question 3

People sometimes think of self-disclosure as a(n) ______ in which one person tells another something of consequence.

A) catharsis
B) process
C) event
D) story

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Rania tells her friend Victoria she's unhappy in her job. Over the course of several months, Rania slowly discloses her dreams of becoming a pilot. Which element of self-disclosure does this scenario most reflect?

A) Self-disclosure involves intentionality.
B) Self-disclosure is a process.
C) Self-disclosure involves risk.
D) Self-disclosure involves trust.

Question 5

Lena knows she needs to tell her fiancé about the extent of her anxiety, but she is uncomfortable having such a serious conversation out of the blue. Instead, she decides to start the conversation in a light-hearted way. Lena's decision most reflects which element of self-disclosure?

A) Self-disclosure is a process.
B) Self-disclosure involves risk.
C) Self-disclosure involves trust.
D) Self-disclosure involves intentionality.

Question 6

The parts of ourselves that we present to others are ______.

A) public information
B) electronic identities
C) open selves
D) body artifacts

Question 7

In the "life as theater" metaphor, where is private information kept?

A) onstage
B) in the house
C) backstage
D) in the lobby

Question 8

Lulu feels comfortable telling only her best friend, Magda, about her fear of dogs. Magda is Lulu's ______.

A) open self
B) emotional communicator
C) relational upper
D) frenemy

Question 9

Information that sounds personal but is easy for the speaker to share is known as ______.

A) history
B) story
C) public information
D) private information

Question 10

True self-disclosure, or ______, involves risk on the part of the teller.

A) public information
B) history
C) private information
D) story

Question 11

"I'm so glad I finally told my mother about my thoughts. It's like a huge weight has come off me, and I feel so much better," says Brian. Brian is likely experiencing ______.

A) trust
B) catharsis
C) capitalization
D) emotional afterglow

Question 12

"Pat and I were so happy to reveal that our adoption went through while we were with family. It made the good news so much more enjoyable," says Lindsay. Lindsay is experiencing ______.

A) catharsis
B) emotional afterglow
C) capitalization
D) trust

Question 13

Sidney Jourard's 1959 statement that self-disclosure promotes ______ was largely ignored at the time but has since been proven true.

A) trust
B) self-awareness
C) psychological health
D) physical health

Question 14

Ahmed didn't realize he wanted to go back to school until he was telling Sonia about his new interest in accounting. Ahmed is experiencing which benefit of self-disclosure?

A) an improvement in physical health
B) an increase in self-awareness
C) an improvement in psychological health
D) an escalation in a relationship

Question 15

Nedelka and Jim spent their first volunteer shift together organizing boxes. They got along right away, but they felt like they suddenly became friends after they each admitted to secretly enjoying organizing things. Nedelka and Jim are experiencing which benefit of self-disclosure?

A) maintenance of an existing relationship
B) an increase in self-awareness
C) a cathartic release of negative emotions
D) initiation of a relationship

Question 16

Which revelation represents an attempt to use self-disclosure to escalate a relationship?

A) deep romantic feelings on a third date
B) long-held resentment to a family member
C) good news to others who will also be happy
D) a dream to a beloved spouse

Question 17

Which is a reason that people choose to keep information private?

A) to escalate a relationship
B) to improve health
C) to avoid rejection
D) to achieve self-awareness

Question 18

We will likely keep information a secret if we believe it will cause someone to ______ us.

A) fail
B) change
C) question
D) reject

Question 19

Research suggests that discussing problems with their friends, also called ______, can increase the risk of depression in adolescents.

A) reciprocity
B) the dyadic effect
C) co-rumination
D) emotional contagion

Question 20

Jared decides not to tell his friend Madeleine that he's going on a hunting trip, since he knows how she feels about hunting. He thinks it would only damage their friendship. Jared is choosing not to self-disclose in order to ______.

A) avoid stress
B) protect a relationship
C) keep his image intact
D) avoid rejection

Question 21

After they got engaged, Clay told all of his coworkers while Elizabeth only confirmed it if someone noticed her ring. Clay and Elizabeth are exhibiting ______ differences in self-disclosure needs.

A) individual
B) relational
C) age-related
D) emotional

Question 22

The ability to elicit disclosures from others is referred to as ______.

A) secrecy
B) responsiveness
C) capitalization
D) co-rumination

Question 23

When they first started dating, Jess and Rory stayed up all night telling each other secrets. Now that they've been together for several years, they rarely have private information the other doesn't already know. Jess and Rory are exhibiting which factor affecting self-disclosure?

A) gender differences
B) individual differences
C) relational patterns
D) cultural differences

Question 24

"I think Aline and I are going to be really close friends. We just 'clicked' right away," says Jen. Based on Jen's description, you would expect her relationship with Aline to be characterized by which patterns?

A) an immediately high incidence of self-disclosure
B) a long period of friendship before a sudden increase in self-disclosure
C) increasing self-disclosure after getting to know each other
D) a stable, low level of self-disclosure without decreasing satisfaction

Question 25

A high incidence of self-disclosing almost immediately in the relationship is referred to as ______.

A) responsiveness
B) intentionality
C) co-rumination
D) clicking

Question 26

Greater levels of self-disclosure are expected in ______ cultures, like those in North America and Western Europe.

A) low-context
B) high-context
C) individualistic
D) collectivistic

Question 27

Cultures that derive meaning mainly from activity and overall context, not verbal explanation, are referred to as ______.

A) low-context
B) high-context
C) individualistic
D) collectivistic

Question 28

Collectivistic and individualistic cultures value ______ differently.

A) reciprocality
B) self-disclosure
C) catharsis
D) relational patterns

Question 29

Researchers found that ______ channels did not necessarily increase the amount of personal disclosure by users.

A) online
B) offline
C) mediated
D) face-to-face

Question 30

Which of these is one of the four principles of self-disclosure?

A) Reciprocal self-disclosures are rare.
B) Self-disclosures lead to catharsis.
C) We disclose a lot in a few encounters.
D) Self-disclosing entails risk.

Question 31

Most of Arthur and Yousef's friendship involves jogging together and simple chitchat over coffee, but one weekend Yousef tells Arthur about his mother's recent cancer diagnosis. Arthur and Yousef's relationship reflects which of the four principles of self-disclosure?

A) Self-disclosures occur between two people in a close relationship.
B) Self-disclosing is reciprocal.
C) We disclose a lot in a few encounters.
D) Self-disclosures occur gradually over time.

Question 32

Paolo is extremely close to his twin sister. He knows he can tell her anything. Paolo's relationship with his sister reflects which of the four principles of self-disclosure?

A) Self-disclosures occur between two people in a close relationship.
B) Self-disclosing is reciprocal.
C) We disclose a lot in a few encounters.
D) Self-disclosures occur gradually over time.

Question 33

Theodore believes he has experienced "the bus rider phenomenon." Which of these might have happened to him?

A) He disclosed private information to the person next to him on a plane.
B) He and a new acquaintance at work immediately "clicked."
C) He revealed secrets about himself anonymously on an online forum.
D) He and a friend disclosed information of equal intimacy.

Question 34

Research suggests that the self-disclosures of one member of a pair will ______ self-disclosures by the other.

A) be competitive with
B) be more risky than
C) be reciprocated with
D) be consciously compared to

Question 35

Our tendency to return another's self-disclosure with one of equal intimacy is called ______.

A) reciprocity
B) the dyadic effect
C) clicking
D) co-rumination

Question 36

When Elena told Ron about her frustrating relationship with her mother, Ron revealed he also had a strained relationship with his parents. Elena and Ron's conversation reflects which of the four principles of self-disclosure?

A) Self-disclosures occur between two people in a close relationship.
B) Self-disclosing is reciprocal.
C) We disclose a lot in a few encounters.
D) Self-disclosures occur gradually over time.

Question 37

A better response than responding with a matching self-disclosure, according to research, is ______.

A) sending I-messages
B) listening silently
C) concealing information
D) responding with empathy

Question 38

Jasna tells Jeremy when they first start dating that she's uncomfortable with him putting his hands on her shoulders. A few months later, she reveals that this is because she was once in an abusive relationship. Jasna's increasing self-disclosure to Jeremy reflects which principle?

A) Self-disclosures occur between two people in a close relationship.
B) Self-disclosing is reciprocal.
C) We disclose a lot in a few encounters.
D) Self-disclosures occur gradually over time.

Question 39

The principle that self-disclosures occur over time is reflected in which scenario?

A) Matthew reveals increasingly intimate information about himself as he gets to know Larissa.
B) Matthew discloses similarly intimate information about himself when Larissa tells him a secret.
C) Matthew only feels comfortable disclosing intimate information to Larissa after they are very close.
D) Matthew tells Larissa intimate information only occasionally; usually they engage in small talk.

Question 40

The theory that explains how and why people decide to reveal or conceal private information to others is called ______.

A) Social Penetration Theory
B) Symbolic Interactionism Theory
C) Communication Privacy Management Theory
D) Social Information Processing Theory

Question 41

Which theory is also known as "the ideology of intimacy"?

A) biological theory of emotion
B) Communication Privacy Management Theory
C) Social Penetration Theory
D) impression management theory

Question 42

Which statement reflects a tenet of Communication Privacy Management Theory (CPM)?

A) Sharing information has not only psychological benefits, but physical ones, as well.
B) All information about a person can be pictured as a series of layers, like an onion.
C) Self-disclosure to create intimacy is the most important factor in a relationship.
D) Withholding information can be as valuable for relationships as self-disclosure.

Question 43

Communication Privacy Management Theory (CPM) accounts for the culture- and gender-based ______ that dictate when and how people share information with others.

A) norms
B) differences
C) rules
D) risks

Question 44

Communication Privacy Management Theory (CPM) considers people to be ______ of information about themselves.

A) guardians
B) conduits
C) shepherds
D) owners

Question 45

Maxine discloses to her friend Torvald that she is thinking of quitting her job. According to Communication Privacy Management Theory (CPM), Maxine and Torvald now ______ the information.

A) share
B) protect
C) co-own
D) disclose

Question 46

Which scenario is an example of boundary turbulence?

A) Manuela does not reciprocate Adrian's self-disclosure with the same intimacy level.
B) Manuela reveals information about Adrian that Adrian didn't want anyone else to know.
C) Manuela shares intimate information in order to escalate her relationship with Adrian.
D) Manuela chooses not to reveal information because she is afraid Adrian will reject her.

Question 47

Which theory says that people, like onions, have many layers?

A) Impression Management Theory
B) Communication Privacy Management Theory
C) Social Information Processing Theory
D) Social Penetration Theory

Question 48

According to Social Penetration Theory, ______ involves knowing information about another across several different topics.

A) depth
B) breadth
C) reciprocity
D) "co-owning"

Question 49

According to Social Penetration Theory, ______ involves knowing how another feels about intimate topics.

A) depth
B) breadth
C) reciprocity
D) "co-owning"

Question 50

"I feel scared at the idea of spending so much time apart. I don't want to lose you," says Renée. Renée is exhibiting which skill for self-disclosure effectiveness?

A) Choose the appropriate context.
B) Use I-statements.
C) Be sure your disclosure is relevant.
D) Estimate the risks and benefits.

Question 51

Which statement is an example of using I-statements to own one's feelings?

A) "I feel the benefits of coming out to my family outweigh the risks."
B) "I feel so ashamed that I never visited my grandmother before she died."
C) "I feel certain that my partner will listen respectfully and empathically."
D) "I feel that telling my sister about my mental health will deepen our relationship."

Question 52

Jade knows she could improve her self-disclosures if she owned her feelings and experiences. Which strategy should she use?

A) Be consistent and focused.
B) Choose the appropriate context.
C) Predict the listener's response.
D) Use I-statements.

Question 53

______ in self-disclosure requires clearness and accuracy.

A) Consistency
B) Appropriateness
C) Reciprocity
D) Honesty

Question 54

Although Keegan told Anita about his concerns, he thinks he downplayed them and did not accurately reflect their depth. Keegan should improve on which self-disclosure skill?

A) Use I-statements.
B) Be honest.
C) Be sure your disclosure is relevant.
D) Estimate the risks and benefits.

Question 55

"I am really angry about the changes to the curriculum," says Logan, laughing. Logan's self-disclosure is an example of lack of ______.

A) consistency
B) relevance
C) honesty
D) owning

Question 56

When your nonverbal communication adds meaning and doesn't distract from your message, you display ______.

A) honesty
B) consistency
C) reciprocity
D) empathy

Question 57

When you assess the appropriateness of the disclosure to the situation itself, you ______.

A) estimate risks
B) are consistent
C) choose the appropriate context
D) are relevant

Question 58

When your disclosure fits naturally into conversation, you are successfully exhibiting which skill?

A) Be consistent.
B) Choose the appropriate context.
C) Be sure your disclosure is relevant.
D) Use I-statements.

Question 59

Monica wonders if she should tell her current boyfriend that she had lunch with her ex-boyfriend Richard, or if it will just put needless strain on their relationship. She is trying to ______.

A) be consistent with her nonverbal communication
B) choose the appropriate context
C) be sure her disclosure is relevant
D) estimate the effect of the disclosure

Question 60

Disclosures are processes that occur on a continuum.

Question 61

We cannot control how we share our private information.

Question 62

Social media raises many questions about the concept of privacy.

Question 63

A disclosure is considered story based on the listener's reaction.

Question 64

The hidden self encompasses information that others know about you, although you're unaware of it.

Question 65

The process of hearing ourselves disclose helps clarify our self-concepts.

Question 66

Reciprocal self-disclosure during initial encounters usually results in positive feelings.

Question 67

Self-disclosure is rarely a risk to a relationship.

Question 68

Most people have the same needs for openness.

Question 69

Long-term relationships are usually characterized by initially low self-disclosures followed by a spike up before a leveling off of openness.

Question 70

Explicit verbal disclosures are necessary in high-context cultures.

Question 71

Self-disclosure is one of the most common forms of communication.

Question 72

People tend to return another's self-disclosure with one that matches it in level of intimacy.

Question 73

Disclosures generally happen incrementally over time.

Question 74

Sidney Jourard believed disclosing to create intimacy with another was the most important factor for relationship health.

Question 75

Boundary turbulence arises when someone contradicts clear, explicit rules about sharing private information.

Question 76

Social Penetration Theory views people in terms of layers representing all the information about them.

Question 77

Honest self-disclosure involves nonconflicting nonverbal communication.

Question 78

Relevancy means that the disclosure fits naturally into the conversation.

Question 79

Issues of self-identity provide compelling reasons to withhold disclosures.

Question 80

Explain the difference between history and story in self-disclosure.