Social Penetration Theory: The Evolution Of Relationships

Social penetration theory is the evolution of relationships. As a one person becomes closer to someone else than the relationship a deeper relationship becomes. Social penetration theory is more comely known as the “stage” theory. The simple definition of the social penetration theory is that, as relationships develop, interpersonal communication moves from relatively shallow, non-intimate levels to deeper, more intimate ones (1973 p. 169). This theory could include a romantic relationship or a platonic relationship. When explaining the social penetration theory Irwin Altman and Dalmas Taylor use the onion metaphor. This theory is still applicable today for the world around us. Social media and many other things play a significant role in self-discloser, …show more content…
In this theory, it gives steps in how relationships normally go. A weakness of this theory is there are so many other variables that can change the outcome. Not everyone 's relationships follow the sequential order. There are times where someone is forced to have a close connection in a short amount of time. In a pop culture, reference thinks about the T.V. Show the Bachelor and Bachelorette, one person in trying to connect with 25 other people. The contestants have a very quick orientation stage, and they all have sometimes to skip other steps because the contestants only have six weeks to make one person fall in love. Understandably not everyone is in the situation, but the social penetration theory does not always apply to every situation. For this theory to better apply to more situations having more layers of the onion. Not having stages and more so a pathway of options for social interactions. There are situations in which distance affects the relationship and not so much anything else. The distance becomes such a difficult situation in the relationship that there is never a chance to work up to the stable stage in a relationship. Which happens a lot in life, for example when students leave high school, sure some people still stay in contact with each other, but many people go to different schools and various parts of the …show more content…
Interacting with people is a common thing we do every day. There are different status of relationships in various parts of our life and understanding how it work can increase a person 's ability to create more meaningful relationships. With the social penetration theory, not much has changed significantly since psychologists Irwin Altman and Dalmas Taylor in 1973. The social penetration theory is not just in the world around us it is used in social media movies and television. Social media is a network that helps break down the walls and enables people to say or do things that they would consider out of their norm. All things do not come without their flaws, and the social penetration theory does not fit every relationship scenario. The most important aspect to take away from this theory is how relationships develop. Some are going to be slower, and we need to be understanding with that, and others move at a much more rapid