Comparison of Reinforcing and Modeling Techniques for Promoting Self-Disclosure

Abstract

It was hypothesized that contingently reinforcing subjects' self-disclosure with an experimenter's self-disclosure would be more effective for promoting self-disclosure than having the experimenter model self-disclosure. No evidence from the 64 male students in introductory psychology was obtained to support the hypothesis that contingent reinforcement would promote self-disclosure more than modeling. Modeling and noncontingent self-disclosure were equally effective for promoting self-disclosure. This provides further evidence for the robustness of the reciprocity effect regarding self-disclosure. An important factor in regard to promoting self-disclosure from another person might be the spontaneity with which one self-discloses to that person. The assumption that a self-disclosure from another person is a reinforcement is questioned.