| dc.description.abstract | Researchers (i.e., Altman & Taylor, 1973) have found
that a principle of reciprocity guides self-disclosures in
adults. The present study explored the question of whether,
and if so, at what age the principle of reciprocity guides
children's self-disclosures. In the study, children from
kindergarten, grades 2, 4 and 6 were shown three videotapes
of child initiators disclosing information about themselves
that varied in intimacy level. After viewing each tape, the
child was asked to send a message to the stimulus children
on topics varying in intimacy. It was found that children in
sixth grade engaged in reciprocity of self-disclosure. They
responded with more high intimacy level disclosures to the
child initiators who provided high intimacy disclosures,
than to the child initiators who made low intimacy level
disclosures. They also made more high intimacy disclosures
to the child initiator who provided medium stimuli, than to
the ones who provided low intimacy disclosures. The latter
finding was interpreted as indicating that a fully
differentiated reciprocity of self-disclosure was acquired
later in development. | |
