Channels, Spring 2018

Channels • 2018 • Volume 2 • Number 2 Page 49 Self-Disclosure and Social Media Self-disclosure can be affected by several factors. When considering an online forum, self- disclosures are necessary for the growth of relationships due to the lack of physical context and nonverbal cues (Yu, Hu & Cheng, 2015). This can be both a blessing and a curse. Anonymity increases disclosure, as noted, but the lack of cues can lead to inappropriate or untimely disclosure. A face-to-face human interaction with self-disclosure usually depends on physical cues in order to determine whether to proceed with the sharing. Generally, the degree of sharing is determined by preexisting breadth and depth of the relationship (Nguyen, Bin & Campbell, 2012). On a social media platform, however, a very personal message might be the first post or disclosure an online figure sees. So, the argument can be made that self-disclosure on social media may not be for the sole purpose of connecting with another interpersonal partner but for communicating with a varied audience of strangers. A study of self-disclosure on Twitter said that Twitter users who share more intimate information receive more attention from viewers (Baruh & Cemalcilar 2015). However, the catch of self-disclosure on the internet lies in the fact that the viewer, or, interpersonal partner, is no longer required to return with equally deep information. There is no expectation of similar sharing, only of recognition and perhaps approval of the sharing partner. Self-disclosure is one of the central purposes of using social media sites to share about one’s life, but there is no guarantee that readers or viewers will return the favor. Instead, disclosure on the internet is more strongly predicted by question prompts than prior disclosure. As a result, intimacy in a social media relationship doesn’t necessarily depend on mutual self-disclosure, but whether the discloser feels validated through provided feedback (Dai, Shin, Kashian, Jang & Walther, 2016). The greatest benefit of self-disclosure on social media is the illusion that there is a supportive community ready to accept and affirm anything an individual has to say, regardless of the accuracy of that perception. People want to be heard and affirmed and social media is an easy way to express feelings and experiences to anyone who is willing to listen (Green, Wilhelmsen, Wilmots, Dodd & Quinn, 2015). Reciprocity and Social Media According to Altman and Taylor’s Social Penetration Theory, reciprocity is necessary for the success of face-to-face relationships. But, is the same true for social media relationships? Is reciprocity even necessary for an online relationship? A response, an acknowledgment, or even a compliment of one’s disclosure seems to be more than enough to replace reciprocity in online relationships. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Research has shown that although the frequency of disclosure and, therefore, reciprocity, is higher in anonymous contexts, the level of intimacy does not change (Hong-Yee CHAN & LO, 2014).