Dialectic Conceptions In Social Psychology: An Application To Social Penetration And Privacy Regulation

Abstract

The long-term development of social bonds, including their growth and deterioration, their interaction processes that occur over the history of social relationships, and their holistic systems like qualities, are examined in the chapter. The chapter integrates and extends the social penetration theory and the privacy regulation theory. It introduces the study of interpersonal relationships. The chapter compares social penetration and privacy regulation frameworks in terms of their similarities and differences and their strengths and weaknesses. It examines the concept of dialectics from a historical and philosophical perspective and describes a particular dialectic approach. The idea of opposition, the unity of opposites, and the concept of change are discussed under the concept of dialectics. Then the chapter explores assumptions about social relationships, wherein it discusses about general philosophical assumptions, homeostasis and the maintenance of stability, and specific assumptions about openness-closeness and stability-change. The chapter discusses research conducted on openness-closeness and stability-change processes in reference to (1) relationship development, (2) crises in social relationships, (3) intimacy of exchange, (4) personal characteristics of interaction style, and (5) the interpersonal unit-matching and timing of interaction.