Social Penetration

Why do some relationships progress quickly more than others? In order to understand this, relationship must be defined. According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, "A relationship is a type of connection existing between people that have a relation or dealing with each other." It is through the process of communication, which is the process where human beings transmit ideas, information, and attitudes to one another, that our relationships are forged. Without communication there would be no relationships involved with people. Many communication scholars have tried to study on how these relationships develop. Irwin Altman and Dalmas Taylor had developed a theory, social penetration, to explain how relationships are established and explain the four sequential stages humans might go through in order to achieve and/or maintain a relationship. In John Hughes' The Breakfast Club, the four stages of social penetration theory are shown when five high school students from different social groups are forced to spend a Saturday together in detention, they find themselves interacting with and understanding each other for the first time.

Social Penetration Theory was first coined by Social Psychologist's Irwin Altman and Dalmas Taylor. The theory posits that as relationships develop communication moves from non-intimate levels to deeper and more personal ones. "According to Altman and Taylor, they specify that relationships go through sequential stages as they develop" (Miller 167). In the earliest stage, orientation, individuals play it safe with small talk. "This involved the gathering of biographical data, the avoidance of disharmony, and the observation of the other's behaviors" (Helms ¶ 21). They are very cautious and hesitant in their interaction with others. "In the second stage, exploratory affective exchange, the individual begins to relax their guard a bit and share some information[such as moderate topics like government and education] beyond socially approved small talk of the orientation stage" (Miller 167). This is the stage of casual friendship and many relationships do not past this stage. In the affective exchange, many barriers are broken. "The 'affective exchange' is considered a transitional stage to the highest level of intimacy possible. It consists of the process one uses to separate the people in which they wish to stay close with and further develop a relationship with versus the ones that they do not" (Smith ¶ 8). Finally, in the stable exchange, the relationship now reaches its plateau because "this is the highest level that one can achieve as far as relationships are concerned" (Smith ¶ 9). "The stable stage consists of development in growing relationships and is characterized by continuous openness, as well as richness across all layers of personality" (Roloff 259). "You know the [person] at the deepest level possible, there are no secrets that the two of you cannot and do not share....two individuals bear their souls and risk all to have complete closeness with one another." (Smith ¶10).

In John Hughes' The Breakfast Club, five high school students from completely different backgrounds meet in Saturday detention from 7a.m.-4p.m. which serves as a punishment for the things they separately did wrong. The five high school students are Andrew Clark, who is in the wrestling team; John Bender, a stoner who likes to pick on everyone; Claire Standish, who is very popular in school; Allison Reynolds, who is unpopular and does not belong in a crowd; and Brian Johnson, a nerd who excels academically. While in detention, Mr. Vernon, the principal of the school gives them a simple assignment. They must write an essay about "who you think you are." Each person has a good idea of what the other is. Yet, through several discussions and arguments, they learn that they have more similarities than at first sight. John Bender initially focuses his anger at Andrew and Claire. His outward hatred towards their "good life" masks his hurt about his own life. In reality, Claire just wishes her parents care about her, and Andrew wishes he had the guts to stand up to his bossy father. All three seem to think Brian the Nerd is the "perfect son" and does not have the same problems. It's a story about communication gaps, teen isolation, and the anxiety that everyone experiences during the high school years. But in the end of the movie, they all walk out as close friends.

The characters of The Breakfast Club show the four stages of penetration. In the beginning of the movie, the characters show little interaction with one another. They usually kept to themselves minding there own business. At one point in the beginning of the movie John asked Claire why she was in detention and Claire replied, "Mind your own business". Andrew asked Claire if she was going to his friend's party on Saturday night and she replied, "Maybe". This is an example of the orientation stage. Claire kept her conversation with Andrew short and she refuse to tell John why she was in detention because first of all she is not friends with him due to different social backgrounds and second she does not want her personal information to get around. The group goes in the second stage of social penetration, exploratory affective exchange, when they talk about such topics on their sex life and explanation on why they received detention. It is seen in the movie that they are more relax except for Claire since she is afraid to say that she is a virgin because they might consider her a "tease." "The more time one spends with each other the more likely we are to self-disclose more intimate thoughts and details of our life" ( Rogers 56). With that being said, we move