Question

Kip has been dating Theresa for less than a month. Kip wants to become closer to Theresa by sharing some very personal information, but he is also nervous about revealing too much, which could have negative relational consequences. Which dialectical tension was Kip experiencing?

Answer 1

Answer:

Kip was experiencing a kind of dialectical tension known as expression-nonexpression.

Explanation:

Kip was experiencing a kind of dialectical tension known as expression-nonexpression. This type of dialectical tension consists of the contradiction between candor and discretion, closedness and openness. Honesty is a key element in a relationship. However, there’s also the need of privacy and of keeping some things to oneself. In this case, Kip wants to share things with his girlfriend because that’s a way of gaining intimacy and trust in a couple. He doubts about it because he feels it may be too much. That contradiction is a clear example of expression-nonexpression dialectical tension. It’s a constant implicit negotiation between what to share and what to keep private in order not to feel overexposed or even generate uneasiness in the other person.