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A process model of having and keeping secrets.

Michael L Slepian¹

¹Management Division.

Psychological Review

|June 3, 2021

Summary

This study introduces a new model of secrecy, defining it as an intention rather than an action. It explores how having a secret impacts well-being through concealment or mind-wandering.

Area of Science:

Psychology
Social Psychology
Cognitive Science

Background:

Secrecy is a common human experience with significant consequences.
Existing research primarily focuses on the act of concealment, neglecting the broader experience of having a secret.
The mental consequences of secrets can arise even when not actively concealed.

Purpose of the Study:

To introduce an integrative theoretical model of secrecy.
To redefine secrecy as an intention to keep information unknown.
To differentiate the psychological processes and outcomes associated with active concealment versus passive mind-wandering about secrets.

Main Methods:

Integration of disparate literatures on secrecy, concealment, and mind-wandering.
Development of a theoretical model defining secrecy as an intention.

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Analysis of two distinct contexts where secret-relevant thoughts are cued: social interaction and non-social situations.

Main Results:

Secrecy is modeled as an intention, increasing sensitivity to related cues.
Concealment involves monitoring, inhibition, and alteration, consuming resources and potentially reducing interaction quality.
Mind-wandering to secrets outside of concealment contexts can lead to rumination, coping, or planning.

Conclusions:

The proposed model offers a unified framework for understanding secrecy.
It highlights distinct pathways through which secrets affect individuals based on context (concealment vs. mind-wandering).
The model has broad implications for understanding relationships, coping, identity, and well-being.