Social Penetration Theory
Abstract
Social penetration theory describes the role of disclosure in relationship development, focusing specifically on how self‐disclosure functions in developing relationships. The onion model serves as a framework for describing the process of social penetration. In developing relationships, people use self‐disclosure to increase intimacy including through breadth, depth, and the norm of reciprocity. Social penetration progresses through several stages to develop relationships. The theory also incorporates rewards and costs in relation to social penetration and has influenced the development of a number of theories in relationship development and information management.
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Such individual differences in HCR development and experienced impact are to be expected, although they are not given particular attention in Social Penetration Theory.
“Such individual differences in HCR development and experienced impact are to be expected, although they are not given particular attention in Social Penetration Theory (Carpenter and Greene, 2015).”
From My Chatbot Companion - a Study of Human-Chatbot Relationships (2021) · cites this paper as Carpenter and Greene, 2015
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BERGER, C. R., & CALABRESE, R. J. (1975) · Human Communication Research · doi:10.1111/j.1468-2958.1975.tb00258.x · Cited by 3,006 · see citing works
Toward a Theory of Motivated Information Management
Afifi, W. A., & Weiner, J. L. (2004) · Communication Theory · doi:10.1111/j.1468-2885.2004.tb00310.x · Cited by 683 · see citing works
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My Chatbot Companion - a Study of Human-Chatbot Relationships
Skjuve, M., Følstad, A., Fostervold, K. I., & Brandtzaeg, P. B. (2021) · International Journal of Human-Computer Studies · doi:10.1016/j.ijhcs.2021.102601 · Cited by 797 · see citing works
“A decision to disclose personal or intimate information often depends on whether one trusts that one will receive a response that is accepting, and this trust is typically established through an affective route (Altman and Taylor, 1973; Ridings et al., 2002).”
BackgroundMethodResultInfluentialHerbener, A. B., & Damholdt, M. F. (2025) · International Journal of Human-Computer Studies · doi:10.1016/j.ijhcs.2024.103409 · Cited by 107 · see citing works
Reducing Burnout and Resignations among Frontline Workers: A Field Experiment
Linos, E., Ruffini, K., & Wilcoxen, S. (2022) · Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory · doi:10.1093/jopart/muab042 · Cited by 56 · see citing works
Ernala, S. K., Labetoulle, T., Bane, F., Birnbaum, M. L., Rizvi, A. F., Kane, J. M., & De Choudhury, M. (2018) · Proceedings of the International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media · doi:10.1609/icwsm.v12i1.15027 · Cited by 50 · see citing works
Battisti, D. (2025) · Philosophy & Technology · doi:10.1007/s13347-025-00857-w · Cited by 25 · see citing works
- Authors
- Carpenter, A., & Greene, K.
- Affiliations
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (US)
- Venue
- The International Encyclopedia of Interpersonal Communication
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2015-12
- Pages
- 1-4
- OpenAlex
- W2410747306
- Cited by
- 132
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 19 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 1
- Type
- reference entry
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The International Encyclopedia of Interpersonal Communication (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
- Social Sciences › Communication › Communication Studies and Media
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
- Keywords
- social penetration theory, self-disclosure, relationship building, intimacy, onion model, reciprocity norms, information management
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