Self-Disclosure and Interpersonal Trust: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

The Rotter Interpersonal Trust Scale and a Self-disclosure Questionnaire developed by the junior author were administered to two samples of college students. In the first sample ( N = 54) self-disclosure to a specific target person was related to Interpersonal Trust; in the second sample ( N = 52) it was attempted to tap a more generalized concept of revealingness and to relate it to Interpersonal Trust. Failure to demonstrate the hypothesized relationships is discussed with reference to unsatisfactory conceptualization of the major concepts and their relation to one another, and possible weaknesses in the measurement procedures.