Transcript Uncertainty Reduction Theory

Uncertainty Reduction Theory
Anne Suryani
Dani Vardiansyah
Novita Damayanti
Universitas Multimedia Nusantara
2010
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Chuck Berger
 “The beginning of personal relationships are fraught
with uncertainties.”
 Focusing on how human communication is used to gain
knowledge and create understanding
 Our drive to reduce uncertainty about new
acquaintances is influenced by:
 Anticipation of future interaction
 Incentive value
 Deviance
 inverse
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Uncertainty reduction: to predict and explain
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Predictability (based on Shannon & Weaver’s
information theory)  “as the ability of persons to
predict which alternative or alternatives are likely to
occur next decreases, uncertainty increases”
Attribution theory: a systematic explanation of how
people draw inferences about the character of others
based on upon observed behavior (Fritz Heider)
Uncertainty reduction: increased knowledge of what
kind of person another is that provides an improved
forecast of how a future interaction will turn out
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An axiomatic theory: certainty about uncertainty
Axiom: a self-evident truth that requires no additional
proof
 Uncertainty & relationship development:
1. Verbal communication: ... as the amount of verbal
communication between strangers increases, the level
of uncertainty for each interactant in the relationship
will decrease. As uncertainty is further reduced, the
amount of verbal communication will increase
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An axiomatic theory: certainty about uncertainty ...
2.
3.
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Nonverbal warmth: as nonverbal affiliative
expressiveness increases, uncertainty levels will
decrease in an initial interaction situation... Decreases
in uncertainty level will cause increases in nonverbal
affiliative expressiveness
Information seeking: high levels of uncertainty cause
increases in information-seeking behavior. As
uncertainty levels decline, information-seeking
behavior decreases
Self-disclosure: high levels of uncertainty in a
relationship cause decreases in the intimacy level of
communication content. Low levels of uncertainty
produce high levels of intimacy
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5. Reciprocity: high levels of uncertainty produce high
rates of reciprocity. Low levels of uncertainty produce
low levels of reciprocity
6. Similarity: Similarities between persons reduce
uncertainty, while dissimilarities produce increases in
uncertainty
7. Liking: increases in uncertainty level produce decreases
in liking; decreases in uncertainty produce increases in
liking
8. Shared networks: shared communication networks
reduce uncertainty while lack of shared networks
increases uncertainty
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Theorems: the logical force of uncertainty axioms
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Theorem: A proposition that logically and necessarily
follows from two axioms
If A = B
and B = C
then A = C
If similarity reduces uncertainty (axiom 6)
and reduced uncertainty increases liking (axiom 7)
Then similarity and liking are positively related (theorem 21)
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Message plans to cope with uncertain responses
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Message plans: mental representations of action
sequences that may be used to achieve goals
Most social interaction is goal-driven
“A plan-based theory of strategic communication”
Uncertainty is central to all social interaction
“The probability of perfect communication is zero”
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“How do individuals cope with the inevitable
uncertainties they must face when constructing
messages?”
“How can a person hedge against embarrassment ,
anger, rejection and other downside risks associated
with deploying a given message?”
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Strategies
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2.
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Seeking information
 Passive strategy
 Active strategy
 Interactive strategy
Choosing plan complexity
◦
Complexity: details & contingency plans
Hedging: use of strategic ambiguity and humor to provide a way
for both parties to save face when a message fails to achieve its
goal
The hierarchy hypothesis: the prediction that when people are
thwarted in their attempts to achieve goals, their first tendency is
to alter lower-level elements of their message
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Anxiety/Uncertainty Management Theory
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William Gudykunst
AUM theory: an intercultural theory that claims high levels of
uncertainty and anxiety lead to greater misunderstanding when
strangers do not communicate mindfully
Characteristics:
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Anxiety: the feeling of being uneasy, tense, worried, or apprehensive
about what might happen
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Effective communication: the extent to which a person interpreting a
message does so in a way that’s relatively similar to what was
intended; minimizing misunderstanding
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Multiple causes of anxiety/uncertainty
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Lower and upper threshold for fear and doubt
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Mindfulness: the process of thinking in new categories, being open to
new information, and recognizing multiple perspectives
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Basic components of AUM theory (Griffin, 2009, p. 132)
Self-concept
Situational context
Uncertainty
management
Motivation to interact
Mindfulness
Categorization of strangers
Communication
effectiveness
Attitudes toward strangers
Closeness with strangers
Anxiety
management
Ethical responsibilities
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Summary
• Reference: Griffin, 2009.
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