Self-disclosure in romantic relationships and friendships among American and Japanese college students

J Soc Psychol. 2005 Apr;145(2):127-40. doi: 10.3200/SOCP.145.2.127-140.

Abstract

The author examined whether the level of self-disclosure would differ across four types of relationships--passionate love relationships, companionate love relationships, same-sex friendships, and cross-sex friendships--and across cultures: American culture and Japanese culture. Participants were 145 college students (64 Americans and 81 Japanese). The results supported three hypotheses: (a) Japanese students scored lower in self-disclosure than American students, regardless of relationship types, (b) self-disclosure was higher in same-sex friendships than in cross-sex friendships both among American participants and among Japanese participants, and (c) self-disclosure was higher in romantic relationships than in friendships both among American students and among Japanese students. However, the correlation between self-disclosure and passionate love was not stronger than the correlation between self-disclosure and companionate love. The author discussed the present study's findings and contribution.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Cultural Characteristics
  • Female
  • Friends*
  • Humans
  • Interpersonal Relations
  • Japan / ethnology
  • Love*
  • Male
  • Self Concept
  • Students
  • Truth Disclosure*
  • United States / ethnology