Self-disclosure of content creators: A systematic review and holistic framework

Abstract

Content creators increasingly use self-disclosure to shape their personas and build strong connections with their audiences. This trend calls for focused scholarly attention on the outcome and underlying mechanism of content creators’ self-disclosure. However, there is a lack of systematic research on how audiences react to these disclosures, and insights from psychology, sociology, communication, and organizational science are often studied separately. This research, which is inherently interdisciplinary, systematically reviewed literature on audience appraisals and responses to self-disclosures. By analyzing 166 influential articles published between 1973 and 2023 using the Web of Science database, we identify key dimensions, impacts, mechanisms, and contextual factors of self-disclosure. Drawing on appraisal theory, our review synthesizes insights from across disciplines and develops an integrative framework. We categorize the findings into seven thematic areas, highlighting the processes involved in audiences’ primary and secondary appraisals of content creators’ self-disclosure and their responses to related efforts. By organizing these themes within a holistic framework, we reconcile inconsistencies in previous research and provide strong foundations for future research. Additionally, we identify gaps and under-researched areas, offering a clear roadmap for future investigations.