Sandra Petronio’s Communication Privacy Management Theory was developed in 1991. The theory was initially called communication boundary management. Principally, this theory is a methodical investigative theory planned to create an evidence-based understanding of how individuals make decisions concerning revealing and hiding private information. This theory suggests that people maintain as well as coordinate privacy boundaries with numerous communication partners according to the perceived advantages and disadvantages of disclosing the information (Petronio, 2015). Notably, Sandra Petronio applies a boundary metaphor to highlight the process of privacy management. According to Petronio, privacy boundaries illustrate divisions between public information and private information. The theory states that when individuals reveal private information, they rely on a rule-based management structure to control the degree of accessibility. Thus, a person’s privacy boundary controls his or her self-revelations
Strengths of Sandra Petronio’s Communication Privacy Management Theory
Among the strengths is that the theory helps to understand the issue of privacy by challenging numerous notions about confidentiality and revelation. The theory helps to appreciate such an understanding in five major ways. Among this is that, in contrast to the past treatments of privacy, Petronio’s theory is structured within a dialectical structure (Petronio, 2013). This structure offers numerous ways of considering the issue of privacy. Again, by presupposing that people and collectives not only simultaneously but also separately control private information, the communications privacy management theory offers a viable way to observe the boundary of individual and collectives for management of privacy.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Moreover, by accounting actively for the recipient’s role in the management of privacy, the theory highlights a missing factor in the equation of such a management process and provides a viable method to study the importance of a recipient. Furthermore, Sandra Petronio’s Communication Privacy Management Theory identifies a basic and significant correlation among secrecy and disclosure. As such, the theory provides a useful method to handle this correlation (Petronio, 2015) . By doing so, the theory indicates the centrality of the boundary between these three notions of management of privacy. Also, by accounting for the number of times which management of privacy break downs occurs, the theory enables a better understanding of the way management of privacy should work and recognizes how people try to address the damage.
Another strength is that the theory is predicated on five tenets of management of private information which represent organizing principles interconnecting people and collectives like households. These principles are information ownership, control, regulation through rules of privacy, guardianship or co-ownership of another person’s private information, and regulation of breakdowns of privacy (Petronio, 2013). Consequently, the theory applies a boundary metaphor to demonstrate the way management principles operate and grasp how individuals regulate how private information flows to others.
Accordingly, the management method is structured within a secrecy boundary since ownership, guardianship, control, as well as rule regulations, set borders to access to private information (Petronio, 2015). Petronio’s theory also helps to appreciate the dynamics of the family, the gender gap in interaction, the revelation of Human Immuno Deficiency Virus (HIV) or the statuses of AIDS, and sexual abuse of children.
Weaknesses of Sandra Petronio’s Communication Privacy Management Theory
Among the weaknesses of this theory is that it is founded on dualistic thinking whereby secrecy and revelation exist together in equilibrium. However, in real life situation, privacy and disclosure do not exist together in equilibrium. Another weakness is that fundamental assumptions of the theory state that people make not only rules but also choices which are based on others and self (Petronio, 2013). This implies that people who do not adhere to Petronio’s model are not held to and described by theory. Another weakness is that the concept of emotion and power are completely positioned within the theory but how they play a key role in the management of privacy is not yet tapped. For households, emotion and power may be critical issues that surround privacy management choices, regulation of boundary, and shifts in rules of privacy changes.
How the Theory can be Strengthened
Sandra Petronio’s Communication Privacy Management Theory can be strengthened by continually testing the validity of the fundamental set of principles and substantiating them. Also, the theory can be strengthened by identifying different avenues of application (Petronio, 2015). Such avenues can assist extend the principles as well as concepts of the theory. Again, the theory can be strengthened by investigation of emotion and power in the context of communication privacy management. Such a move will add more to a full understanding of the management of privacy. Besides, other issues related to power and emotion must be investigated and included. Such issues will also help to advance Petronio’s theory of communication privacy management and appreciate better privacy in households. Also, the theory can be revised to reflect more the current changes concerning the way people decide to conceal or reveal both private and public information.
References
Petronio, S. (2015). Communication privacy management theory. The international encyclopedia of interpersonal communication , 1-9.
Petronio, S. (2013). Brief status report on communication privacy management theory. Journal of Family Communication, 13(1), 6-14 .
