High level of self-disclosure on SNSs facilitates cooperation: A serial mediation model of psychological distance and trust

• Published in: Computers in human behavior 2024-01, Vol.150, p.107976, Article 107976
• Main Authors: Ma, Junshu, Gao, Shumin, Wang, Peng, Liu, Yongfang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cooperation; Interpersonal trust; Prisoner's dilemma games; Psychological distance; Self-disclosure
• ISSN: 0747-5632; 1873-7692
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2023.107976

In the Internet Age, self-disclosure on social networking sites (SNSs) has become a part of people's lives. Some studies have explored how it affects the feelings and attitudes of information recipients, but little research have further explored whether such feelings and attitudes lead to changes in interactive behavior, thus failing to reveal the complete interpersonal effects of this behavior. This study explores whether and how it affects a major interpersonal behavior - cooperation and its underlying psychological mechanisms through two experiments. Experiment 1 manipulated the level of self-disclosure and recorded data on the psychological distance, trust, and cooperative behavior of recipients. The results showed that when recipients received high levels of self-disclosure information, they cooperated more with disclosers than when they received low levels of self-disclosure information. This effect was generated through a series of mediating effects of psychological distance and trust. In Experiment 2, image information was attached or not attached to high and low levels of self-disclosure to test whether it moderated the effect of self-disclosure on cooperation. It was found that this information increased cooperation with individuals with high levels of self-disclosure, but did not affect cooperation with individuals with low levels of self-disclosure. •High level of self-disclosure has positive effects on cooperation behavior.•High level of self-disclosure reduces psychological distance.•High level of self-disclosure enhances interpersonal trust.•The effect of self-disclosure on cooperation is serially mediated by psychological distance and trust.•Picture information enhances cooperation behavior in high self-disclosure condition.