Hello budding Psychologists! Ready to get into the minds of people and their relationships? Let's deep dive into two important theories: the Social Penetration Theory and Attribution Theory. Fasten your seat belts and let's get started!

Imagine peeling an onion, sounds boring, right? But, it’s actually a pretty great way to understand relationships! Social Penetration Theory, proposed by Altman and Taylor (1973), is just like peeling an onion, each layer reveals a deeper, more intimate level. At first, you might just share your favourite food or color, but as the relationship deepens, you might start talking about your dreams and deepest fears.

According to a study by Collins, Miller, and Steinberg (1994), people who share their deepest thoughts are generally liked more, and people tend to share more with people they initially like. So, for example, if you tell your best friend about your fear of spiders, they might end up liking you even more! This sharing is crucial for both forming and maintaining relationships.

Surprisingly, according to Dindia, Allen, and Steinberg (1992), women tend to disclose more than men, especially to other women. Imagine how much sharing happens at an all-girl sleepover! But let's take a pinch of salt with online studies. Callaghan, Graff, and Davies (2013) found that in experimental conditions, people may disclose more than they naturally would.