Norms affecting self-disclosure in men and women.

In a study with 128 undergraduates, it was predicted that attributions of mental illness would be based on the extent to which self-disclosure deviates from appropriate sex role behavior for men and women. In support of this hypothesis Ss of both sexes rated a male stimulus person as being better adjusted when he failed to disclose than when he did disclose information about a personal problem. The reverse trend occurred when a female stimulus person was being evaluated; she was seen as better adjusted when she disclosed than when she did not. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)