Miller, L. C., Berg, J. H., & Archer, R. L. (1983). Openers: Individuals who elicit intimate self-disclosure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 44(6), 1234-1244.

Presents an “Opener Scale” that measures the tendency to elicit intimate disclosure from others. Data from 740 undergraduates provided evidence for the scale’s validity and reliability. In a face-to-face dyadic interaction between strangers in a laboratory study, 55 undergraduate women who scored either high or low on the Opener Scale were paired with other women who scored either high or low on a self-disclosure index. Low disclosers revealed more to high openers than to low openers. However, high disclosers were equally intimate with both types of partner. In a field study with 54 sorority women, acquaintances and friends were more willing to disclose to high openers than to low openers. High openers were more liked than low openers in the latter study only. It is suggested that high openers were able to elicit more disclosure because of their greater receptiveness and attentiveness and use of more follow-up questions.

Miller, L. C., Berg, J. H., & Archer, R. L. (1983). Openers: Individuals who elicit intimate self-disclosure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 44(6), 1234-1244.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.44.6.1234