uncertainty reduction theory

Uncertainty, reduction theory

Why do people act and communicate the way they do?

Interpersonal

Uses it as a starting point a very fundamental observation about human beings

Uncertainty

Human seek predictability in their social environment because that’s how we involve and depend on environment for our wellbeing

Theory Assumptions

1. On uncertainty is common and every day life

2. We strive to reduce our uncertainty about them

3. Uncertainty is uncomfortable

4. Uncertainty reduce through communication and law like fashion

1. Entry phase

1. When we’re starting to get to know this person in a conversation

2. Uncertainty is the highest because we don’t know how this person is going to react. We do not have enough data.

3. It’s the most scripted

4. Small talks can help reduce uncertainty for example. How’s the weather?

personal phase

When you have established common ground, we know if this person is rewarding your threatening

We have a conversation about values, beliefs, and attitudes

It’s the most natural phase

exit phase

Trying to figure out if we want to end this conversation or continue this conversation

Uncertainty, reduction theory

Is a product of both qualities and predictability’s of outcomes possible given situation.

There are a lot of things that could happen in a given situation

For example, when you’re going into an interview and that interview is going to go well, the thing you overheard that it might be probable that the manager may yell at you because it’s happened before= it did not happen so it was not probable

Cognitive

What is going on people’s minds?

Behavioral

The meaning of other people’s actions

Motivation to reduce uncertainty

1. When we anticipate future interaction with someone

2. If this person is rewarding

3. When this person is unusual or eccentric

Anticipating future interaction with someone

Example when you are meeting someone for a job interview and you meet a stranger, the lobby this will have less certainty, but if you meet someone in the elevator, heading up to the interview, this person might be the boss and you want to reduce this uncertainty with that person

When person is rewarding

This can be a social booster. It could be a romantic partner. This helps reduce uncertainty.

Whether this person is unusual or in eccentric.

Lots of unknowns, and less knowledge about them

how do we reduce uncertainty?

1. Seek info

2. Planning

3. Hedging

seek info

we have more information about them and is less predictable

interactive

When we engage and ask questions

passive

when we observed them, for example, observing them have a conversation with someone else

active

when we seek info about them towards an outside source, kind of like stalking

planning

develop a plan of ahead of time to make things less uncertain for example practicing in the mirror

hedging

Stating things in a way that helps you save face

For example, when you really like a person and want to ask them on a date this upcoming weekend, you ask them if they got any plans and if they say yes, it helps you save face