Social penetration theory

Social penetration theory is a way of talking about how friends get to know each other better over time. It’s like an onion: friends start out by only sharing the stuff on the outside or the surface of the onion, like their name and age. As they get to know each other better, they share more and more until they reach the deepest layers of the onion, which are the most personal thoughts and feelings they have. As they learn each other’s innermost thoughts, they become closer friends.