Unprompted self-disclosure in first encounter interactions: An analysis of getting-to-know-you conversations between new acquaintances

Xuehua Lai, Mei Yuit Chan, Afida Mohamad Ali and Geok Imm Lee
Universiti Putra Malaysia | Guangdong Mechanical and Electrical Polytechnic

Research on self-disclosure is well-established in psychology and communication studies; however, unprompted self-disclosure as an action in conversation has not received as much attention. First encounters are often marked by social uncertainty, and self-disclosure plays a crucial role in facilitating conversation. Using a qualitative approach informed by insights from pragmatics and Conversation Analysis, and complemented by an analysis of frequencies of acts performed in conversation, this study analyzed video conference recordings of twenty-two dyads of unacquainted international postgraduate students in Malaysian universities. This paper describes how interlocutors use unprompted self-disclosure as interactional strategy in first encounters, focusing on the patterns of self-disclosure that emerge and the functions they serve. The findings extend understanding of how interactants navigate epistemic territories to achieve interactional goals in initial conversations, where knowledge about one another is limited.

Publication history

Date received: 13 March 2024

Date accepted: 15 April 2025

Published online: 16 December 2025

Table of contents

Self-disclosure plays a crucial role in social relationships, involving the sharing of personal information with others (Altman and Taylor 1973). In first-encounter interactions, self-disclosure is particularly important as it often influences the desire for further interaction and the development of relationships between individuals (Sprecher, Wenzel and Harvey 2018).

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