Her the Movie

Teresa Ma

Psy 455

Video Analysis

“Her”

The theory of social penetration is evident when Samantha and Theodore start to get acquainted. The theory of social penetration includes social disclosure, which is the ability to reveal personal information about oneself. Self-disclosure is essential in the beginning of a relationship, because it helps a person understand and find common interest in another person. Self-disclosure is narrow in the beginning of a relationship, because one is still trying to feel and find common interest with another; as time goes on and the relationship evolves, both parties are able to reveal more and more about each other, without feeling personal judgement. Both parties need to be able to self-disclose in order for the relationship to deepen. Self-disclosure and time go hand in hand because through time, we are able to build trust, loyalty, reveal vulnerability, and a develop a close relationship/intimacy with another person.

A scene in the movie of self-disclosure is when Theodore and Samantha are on a date. After a good time, Theodore is walking into a social atmosphere and starts describing a couple with kids, who are actually on a date. Theodore reveals to Samantha that he feels as though he could say anything to her and Samantha reveals that she can’t do the same. Although she is an operating system, Samantha reveals an embarrassing statement, wishing that she had a body so that she is able to be physically next to Theodore. This vulnerability helps escalate Theodore and Samantha’s relationship and creates more gradual self-disclosure between the two.

One concept that was evident in the movie was social exchange/interdependency. Social exchange is when a successful relationship is able to mutually exchange desirable rewards for each other. The rewards in social exchange are the gratifying and fulfilling feelings that come from the interaction with the other person. The consequences of social exchange are the costs, which leaves the other person with the feeling of distress and frustration.

In the movie, Theodore is getting over a divorce, he is feeling numb and in need for human interaction, but searches for a certain kind of connection. After Theodore purchases Samantha and after self-disclosure, the audience sees Theodore’s mood change. Theodore goes back to enjoying and loving life and he is able to get back to his old self because of his relationship with Samantha. Samantha evolves by the minute, but with her relationship with Theodore, she is able to have a “human-side” and experiences life with/through him. An example of costs in social exchange is when Theodore loses connection with Samantha and he is in panic while searching for a signal site. The audience can see the distress and frustration while Theodore loses himself momentarily. Theodore has become too dependent on his happiness that Samantha (a drug) has created with him.