Intimacy Theory: Social Penetration Theory In The Workplace

Social Penetration Theory uses self disclosure as the starting block that allows couples to form and then become more intimate. They become more committed as the depth (degree of intimacy) and breadth (number of areas) of their communication increases (Regan, 2008). Couples who share many intimate details of their history, life and personality are closer and are able to become stronger units. Couples also participate in a cost/ reward system where actions and gifts are exchanged to keep worth and balance in the relationship. Intimacy Theory further expands on that by including the quality of the communication and the feelings associated with it also makes couple closer. Couples that feel validated, understood, cared for, accepted and nurtured promote the intimacy growth (p 43).

Individuals that feel they are not valued or heard in a relationship can become closed off and terminate the relationship. An example of this is shown in a new phenomenon in Japan. The annual Love Your Wife Shout-out has been created so men can stand on a public stage and scream out loud why they love their wife and ways they are going to show it. The Wife Appreciation Society, created by Kiyotaku Yamana, holds this annual activity to increase the communication in couples and to allow men in the Japanese culture an outlet to express their feelings. They are trying to promote emotional intimacy and support to provide a source of reward for Japanese women in the Intimacy Theory style. Japanese couples have a twenty five percent happiness rating on marriage and it is hypothesized that it is because of the lack of warmth and communication in the relationship (Craft,