A wholistic model of openness is described. Shifts in openness were studied in 48 college women following the telling of a secret. Whereas the act of sharing a secret per se did not have an effect different from a control procedure, the intimacy of the secret was predictive of increased openness in a curvilinear fashion. Implications of these findings are discussed in terms of understanding the factors that contribute to sustained openness. The present methodology holds promise for further research in this area.
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