Social Penetration Analysis in Self-Disclosure of Online Loan Application Users to Their Partners

Abstract: This study aims to analyze the disclosure of online loan users to their partners through social penetration theory. Information technology-based money lending services are one of the innovations in the financial sector, utilizing technology to facilitate lending transactions without meeting in person. This transaction mechanism is carried out through a system provided by the Fintech Lending Organizer, either through an application or a website. Several problems arise because of the characteristics of online loans that often terrorize and intimidate people close to them without asking permission. This study is descriptive, using data collection techniques on ten pairs of online loan informants with their partners. Data analysis was carried out using interactive techniques involving interactions between data collection, data reduction, data presentation, and conclusions. Based on the social penetration analysis, five pairs of informants decided to separate/divorce, while five pairs did not divorce. The five pairs of informants who did not divorce were at stages 3 (affective exchange) and 4 (stable exchange). The five pairs who divorced were at stage 2 (exploration of affective exchange), which decreased the development of their relationship to deterioration. Couples who eventually divorce receive negative Feedback from their partners in the form of anger, annoyance, and regret. The perpetrators decide to get involved in online loans without discussing it with their partners but also have no desire to discuss it. The perpetrators' mindset, household economic problems, characteristics of online loans, and skills in communicating issues to their partners color the couple's interactions towards the end of the relationship. On the other hand, supportive Feedback, personality, and gender of the partner are factors that influence self-disclosure.