Media on Social Penetration
Since the invention of the Internet Communication and information technology, including the social media is growing very fast. This has resulted in social penetration, including self-disclosure in interpersonal communication. Social penetration theory explores various facts about development of interpersonal relationships. It was propounded by psychologists Altman and Taylor in 1973. The social penetration theory stated that relationship become more intimate over time when partners disclose more and more information about themselves.

The social media plays a vital role in the process of the self-disclosure. Facebook, WhatsApp, twitter, snapchat, blogging, duo, imo, etc. avowed social networking object of the social media is related to self-revelation. The self-revelation is a more powerful disclosure of personal information to another person. Disclosure may include sharing both high-risk and low-risk information as well as personal experiences, ideas, attitudes, feelings, values, past facts and life stories and even future hopes, dreams, ambitions and goals.

Altman and Taylor believe that opening inner self to other is the main route to reach to intimate relationship. It is sometimes called the “onion theory” of personality which is like a multi-layer onion with public self on the outer layer and private self at the core. There are a number of interpretations of this model but the simplest one consists of six-key layers. These are 1) Biographical data (Age, gender, name) 2) Preference on clothes, food and music 3) Goals, aspirations 4) Religious convictions 5) Deeply held fears and fantasies 6) Concept of self. As time passes and intimacy grows the layers of one’s personality begin to unfold to reveal the core of the person.

The development of relation is not automatic, but different stages represent it:

1. Orientation stage (basic facts about oneself)
2. Exploratory affective stage (favourite foods, movies, books etc.)
3. Affective exchange (Trip, plans, family news) and
4. Stable exchange stage (personal feeling and intimate details)

Are important in social penetration. These are the main stages for development of relationship in proper self-disclosure. It can be assessed by an analysis of cost and rewords which can be further explained by social exchange theory.

We look at the many benefits of self disclosure which has been improving your life. There is availability of information, context of sharing, self-clarification, self-validation, reciprocity, impression formation, relationship maintenance, enhancement and moral obligation. But, there are many ways that self disclosure can disturb your life e.g. rejection, negative impression, decrease in relational satisfaction, loss of influence, loss of control etc.

Now a day social penetration and self disclosure produces various offences which affect the personality of individuals.

Can be point out as:

1. Harassment via e-mail. [Section-66A of the IT (Amendment) Act, 2008].
2. Cyber-stalking [Section-354D of the IPC]
3. Dissemination of obscene Material [Section-67 of the IT act, Section-292 of the IPC].
   
   Defamation [Section-499 of the IPC Act].
4. Hacking [Section-66 of the IT Act].
5. Cheating and fraud [Section-416 of the IPC, Section-66D of the IT].
6. Child pornography [Section-67, 67A , 67B of the IT Act].
7. Violation of privacy [Section-66E of the IT Act].

Media plays a crucial role on it. Awareness campaigns, extra caution and vigilance are the best line of defense against malicious activity of social penetration in social media.

These topic shows that the media has made it possible to bring the private life of an individual into the public domain. Exposing him to the risk of an invasion of his space and privacy, and the social media changes the way we communicate and build interpersonal relationship. The social penetration and self-disclosure process become easier and faster with the media.

Written By: Riya Das. Advocate of Chinsurah Judges Court, Hooghly. (West Bengal)