| dc.description.abstract | Research conducted supports the conclusion
that adults have a well defined norm of reciprocity in
self-disclosure.
The purpose of the present research was to
determine whether and if so at what age the norm of
reciprocity of self-disclosure prevails in children.
In the present study, 30 children from each of kindergarden,
second grade, fourth and sixth grade were
presented videotapes of conversations between two
children. The videotapes depicted high-high, low-low,
high-low and low-high intimacy levels of self-disclosure
in the stimulus person combinations. It should be noted
that in some combinations, the intimacy level of the
initial disclosure was reciprocated while in others,
the respondent did not reciprocate the intimacy level of
the initial disclosure. The stimulus materials for these
videotapes were derived from 2 pilot studies. Following
the viewing of the videotapes, subjects were requested to;
(A) recall the exchange; (B) judge the respondent on the
likability and friendship scales; (C) give explanations
for their judgements.
The results implied that the sixth grade
children provided evidence for the norm of reciprocity
pattern by indicating more liking and greater desirability for friendship with the High-High, Low-Low stimulus
person combinations in which .the respondent reciprocated
the intimacy level of the initial disclosure. The
explanations of judgements given by the sixth grade
children also provided some support for the norm of
reciprocity pattern. In contrast, the results indicated
that the kindergarten children based their liking and
friendship judgements on the content of communication. | |
