Skip to main content

Sage Social Science Thesaurus

Search from vocabulary

Content language

Concept information

... > social science subjects > psychology > social psychology > interpersonal relationships > human relationships > creating and maintaining closeness > social penetration theory
... > social science subjects > sociology > social interaction > human relationships > creating and maintaining closeness > social penetration theory
... > social science subjects > sociology > social theory > micro-interactionist theory > social interaction > human relationships > creating and maintaining closeness > social penetration theory
... > social science subjects > communication and media studies > communication studies > communication theory > interpersonal concepts > social penetration theory
... > social science subjects > communication and media studies > communication studies > communication theory > psycho-cognitive orientations > social penetration theory
... > social science subjects > communication and media studies > communication studies > communication theory > social-interactional orientations > social penetration theory
... > social science subjects > psychology > social psychology > interpersonal relationships > human relationships > theoretical approaches to studying relationships > social penetration theory
... > social science subjects > sociology > social interaction > human relationships > theoretical approaches to studying relationships > social penetration theory
... > social science subjects > sociology > social theory > micro-interactionist theory > social interaction > human relationships > theoretical approaches to studying relationships > social penetration theory

Preferred term

social penetration theory  

Definition

  • What happens as individuals move through the different stages of a personal relationship—from being strangers, to acquaintances, to close friends, or, perhaps, to romantic partners? Social penetration theory, developed by Irwin Altman and Dalmas Taylor in 1973, provides a theoretical framework for understanding the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of two people as they establish a close relationship. This entry summarizes the behavioral and subjective processes that occur in the development of a close relationship according to social penetration theory. [Source: Encyclopedia of Human Relationships; Social Penetration Theory]

Broader concept

Belongs to group

URI

https://concepts.sagepub.com/social-science/concept/social_penetration_theory

Download this concept:

RDF/XML TURTLE JSON-LD