Self-disclosure and psychological construing: A personal construct approach to interpersonal perceptions

The purpose in this investigation was to determine the relationship between self-disclosure (SD) and the types of personal constructs utilized by individuals in conceptualizing their interpersonal relationships. Deriving from Duck’s (1973) “inferential theory” of interpersonal relations, SD was conceptualized as a process which mediates the evolution of more advanced, “psychological” construing. As a test of SD’s mediational function, it was argued that such dimensions should be differentially meaningful when applied to a range of SD targets. Further, a positive relationship between the targets’ level of SD and its rated meaningfulness along participants’ own psychological dimensions was predicted. Conversely, no such differentiation was predicted along participants’ earlier, more “physicalistic” constructs. All predictions received support, with one general exception. Highly polarized negative relations, though low SD targets, received more meaningful ratings along psychological constructs than some higher SD targets.