Orientation. According to Altman and Taylor’s social penetration theory, orientation is
the first step a person would experience when they meet someone new. This phase allows
individuals to make first judgments as to what the personality of the individual would be like
based on things they can see and hear. Twenty years ago, this type of interaction would be more
commonly found offline. Today, initial connections can be established in a computer-generated
environment where individuals can look for a partner online. By integrating the use of SNS, new
acquaintances may self-disclose information during preliminary interactions to help establish a
relationship.