What does privacy management theory propose about how couples handle private information?

• A. Individuals control private information and negotiate boundaries.
• B. People have no control over private information and boundaries are fixed.
• C. Private information should always be shared with all partners.
• D. Trust is unrelated to how information is managed.

Answer: (A)

Privacy management theory says people act as owners of their private information and actively regulate it through boundary management. They decide what to disclose, to whom, and under what conditions, and they negotiate access with others who become co-owners of that information. Boundaries are not fixed; they shift as relationships and contexts change, and disclosure is usually selective rather than universal. Trust and risk assessments influence these boundary decisions, but the core idea is that individuals control private information and negotiate boundaries.