The Theory of Altered Disclosures: Testing the Influence of Hormonal Responses on Individuals' Disclosure Decision Processes

This dissertation proposes and tests a new communication theory, the theory of altered disclosures, and addresses the underlying assumption in much of the communication literature that when individuals choose to disclose information, they are doing so logically and rationally. The theory instead argues that there are times when individuals experience altered states that likely influence their communication behaviors. Specifically, resource management issues, substance-induced responses, and hormonal responses should predict altered cognitive states. These states likely influence risk-benefit assessments, such that individuals assess greater benefits and fewer risks to disclosing than they would if they were not experiencing an altered state. The altered risk-benefit assessment should also mediate the relationship between altered states and three dimensions of altered disclosures---intentionality, magnitude, and amount.;The present study tested the domain of hormonal responses in the context of sexual activity and several of the predictions presented in the theory were supported. Additionally, a fourth dimension (i.e., valence) of altered disclosures was tested in this context. The results revealed that the altered state of orgasm predicted increased benefit assessments. These benefit assessments also mediated the relationship between the altered state and two of the four dimensions of altered disclosures---magnitude and valence. However, orgasm did not predict risk assessments or the dimensions of unintentionality or amount.;Additional analyses tested the influence of testosterone, oxytocin receptor polymorphisms, relationship status, and alcohol consumption on these processes. Testosterone was a significant predictor of altered disclosures. The higher individuals' testosterone levels, the fewer benefits and greater risks they assessed to disclosing after sexual activity, and the less positively valenced was the information they disclosed (though the dimensions of unintentionality, amount, and magnitude were not significant). Additionally, the relationship between testosterone and valence was mediated by risk-benefit assessments. However, individuals' oxytocin receptor polymorphism genotypes were not significant predictors of risk-benefit assessments or the dimensions of altered disclosures in the context of sexual activity.;Relationship status also significantly predicted increased benefit assessments and decreased risk assessments. This association was also moderated by trust, but only for benefit assessments. As trust increased for individuals in committed relationships, their perceptions of the benefits of disclosing also increased. Individuals in more committed relationships disclosed information of greater magnitude and more positively valenced information after sexual activity compared to individuals in less committed relationships, though the dimensions of unintentionality and amount were not significant. Risk-benefit assessments also mediated the relationship with valence, but only benefit assessments (not risk assessments) mediated the relationship with magnitude. Individuals in more committed relationships also reported fewer feelings of regret and more relationship satisfaction after their disclosures than individuals in more casual relationships.;Finally, alcohol consumption predicted individuals' benefit assessments, the magnitude of their disclosures, and the valence of their disclosures, but not in the hypothesized directions. The more alcohol individuals consumed, the fewer benefits they assessed to disclosing and the less deep and positively valenced were their disclosures. However, alcohol consumption did predict the unintentionality of individuals' disclosures in the hypothesized direction. The more alcohol individuals consumed, the more unintentional they were in their disclosures.;Together, the results suggest that benefit assessments, rather than risk assessments, are influenced by altered states. Additionally, magnitude and valence appear to be the two primary dimensions influenced by altered states in the context of sexual activity. Overall, this project contributes to the study of interpersonal communication by advancing a new theory of disclosure---a theory that examines the conditions, including hormone-induced states, that influence altered disclosures and the consequences of these disclosures.