EFFECTS OF GENDER, TARGETS GENDER, TOPIC, AND SELF-ESTEEM ON DISCLOSURE TO BEST AND MIDLING FRIENDS

Two studies examining self-disclosure as a function of discloser's gender, target's gender, topic, class standing, and self-esteem are reported. In the first study, 172 college students were given a test containing items from a modified Jourard Self-Disclosure Questionnaire and the Culture-Free Self-Esteem Inventory, and asked to report disclosure to their best, nonromantic, same-and cross-sex friends; the second study was a replication of the first, but the 138 subjects were questioned about disclosure to "midling"-level friends. The expected effects were found-topic, target's gender, etc.-and self-esteem level and class standing were found to influence disclosure levels as well. The η2 and correlations are reported, so that readers can see an estimate of the effects' magnitudes as well as their significance levels. © 1991 Plenum Publishing Corporation.