Saturday, April 18, 2009

Week 13, Question 3

3). Pick one concept from the assigned reading, that we have no already discussed, that you found useful or interesting, and discuss it.

In communication studies, I love topics on self-disclosure. For me, sharing things about yourself is an essential part to a good relationship. With self disclosure, we are able to gain insight into what a person may be thinking that we cannot gather by just looking at them.

In the text, Trenholm describes there are actually rules to disclosure and I thoroughly enjoy them. The first states that self-disclosure is not appropriate in all situations. This is true because sharing personal feelings is not something that can be discussed in perhaps a work environment.

Another thing is to consider the effect of your disclosure on others. In this case, views on certain things can be detrimental to a relationship. For instance, views on gay marriage are two-sider. Save yourself the fight when talking to someone who is gay or for it. If you don't agree with it, it's better to just keep quiet especially if you don't care too much about the topic or you dont have a dog in the fight.

1 comment:

  1. Hi JaneJolie,

    The book states that self-disclosure is when an individual voluntarily shares information about him or herself. I agree with you that when a person chooses to self-disclose, they need to follow those guidelines you listed to prevent embarrassment. I have had experiences where some people choose to disclose way to much information during a dinner or a serious conversation. Both of the mood of each situation was ruined because the individual does not know when to appropriately share her information. Reading about the proper way to self-disclose will help me in the future with when to share information about myself for many reasons. I also agree with you that there is an effect on others when you disclosure your information to them. My best friend is currently dating this depressed guy. Every day, she begins to feel depressed too because of the things he shares with her. That's why it is really important to protect yourself as well as to protect others.

    Good post

    Signing Out,
    Events Dreamer

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