The Effects of Physical Attractiveness and Need for Approval on Self-Disclosure

Abstract

Ninety-six female college students, who had obtained either low, moderate, or high scores on the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale, believed that they would meet a physically attractive or unattractive male as part of a study on the acquain tance process. After viewing a photo of the bogus partner, sub jects wrote a self-description which would ostensibly be shown to him. Results indicated that intimacy of self-disclosure was greater to the attractive than unattractive target persons, and that intimacy of self-disclosure was inversely related to subject's need for approval. Implications of the physical attractiveness effects on self-disclosure for the process of friendship formation were also discussed.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Altman, I. , & Taylor, W. Social penetration: The development of interpersonal relationships . New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1973.

Anchor, K. , Vojtisek, J. , & Berger, S. Social desirability as a predictor of self-disclosure in groups. Psychotherapy, 1972, 6, 262-264.

Aronson, E. , & Carlsmith, J. Experimentation in social psychology. In G. Lindzey & E. Aronson (Eds.), The handbook of social psychology. Vol. 2. Reading Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1968 .

Berscheid, E. , & Walster, E. Physical attractiveness . In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in Experimental Social Psychology. New York: Academic Press, Vol. 7, 1974 .

Burhenne, D. , & Mirels, H.L. Self-disclosure in self-descriptive essays. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1970, 35, 409-413.

Cash, T.F. , & Soloway, D. Self-disclosure correlates of physical attractiveness: An exploratory study . Psychological Reports, 1975, 36, 579-586.

Chaikin, A. , & Derlega, V. Variables effecting the appropriateness of self disclosure. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1974 , 42, 588-593.

Chaikin, A. , Derlega, V. , Bayma, B. , & Shaw, J. Neuroticism and disclosure reciprocity. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1975, 43, 13-19.

Cozby, P. Self-disclosure : A literature review. Psychological Bulletin, 1973, 79, 73-91.

10.

Crowne, D. , & Marlowe, D. The approval motive: Studies in evaluative dependence. New York: Wiley, 1964.

11.

Kaats, G.R. , & Davis, K.E. The dynamics of sexual behavior of college students. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 1970, 32, 390-399.

12.

Newberry, L. Defensiveness and need for approval. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 1967, 31, 396-400.

13.

Sigall, H. , Page, R. , & Brown, A.C. Effort expenditure as a function of evaluation and evaluator's attractiveness . Representative Research in Social Psychology, 1971, 2, 19-25.