Self disclosure is the activity through which an individual would tell the other people about the things that would never have been discussed with others. The reason why the individual would not communicate these points with others is because either they may be too embarrassed to do so or that they would not have known about these till they discussed it with the others.



Self-disclosure is one way to learn about how another person thinks and feels. Once one person engages in self-disclosure, it is implied that the other person will also disclose personal information. This is known as the norm of reciprocity. Mutual disclosure deepens trust in the relationships and helps both people understand each other more.

Self disclosure allows the individual to open up to him self as well as others and this is why this activity is encouraged by a number of people. With opening up to the other people, there is a greater chance of the relationship getting stronger because then there would be more trust in the relationship and the people would be willing to open up to one another so that they can share the things that they could not before with others.

The self disclosure may have a disadvantage of the security of telling the people of the weaknesses and the strengths and then having the idea that they may be used against oneself. This is a major fear of self disclosure of security that may be used against the individual who is willing to open up to others through self disclosure communication.

One risk is that the person will not respond favorably to the information. Self-disclosure does not automatically lead to favorable impressions. Another risk is that the other person will gain power in the relationship because of the information they possess. Finally, too much self-disclosure or self-disclosure that comes too early in a relationship can damage the relationship. Thus, while self-disclosure is useful, it can also be damaging to a relationship.