Uncertainty Reduction Theory

New relationships involve uncertainty, and these uncertainties are uncomfortable, and so people communicate to relieve them from these discomforts. Basically, when we meet someone new, there's always an urge to know the other party better, either to get information or just simply, to interact, all in all, we will always try to reduce uncertainty that we have towards the other person.

As what Charles R. Berger and Richard J. Calabrese (1975) had mentioned, Information exchange is a basic human function in which individuals request, provide, and exchange information with the goal of reducing uncertainty.  Health and Bryant (2000) state: “One of the motivations underpinning interpersonal communication is the acquisition of information with which to reduce uncertainty” Thus saying, we communicate and exchange information so we can reduce uncertainty and improve their predictability and then develop the relationship reflecting upon those uncertainties. Hence, the more you communicate with another individual, the more certain you are towards them. 

The motivation towards wanting to reduce these uncertainties revolves around their expectation regarding the relationship. Whether you expect to interact with the other person again and then have a continued interaction, or having a purpose of accomplishing stated goal from the relationship or even deviance, when that person turns out to counter your expectations, you would be most likely want to reduce uncertainty about the individual. 

Griffin, 2009, said that there are 2 types of uncertainty, firstly, behavioral questions and then cognitive questions. Behavioral questions is what you ask yourself, on how to act and behave when you're with certain individuals. This is usually taken care of by you following certain rules or protocol to meet different criteria. Cognitive question is questions like, "Who is this person?", questions that usually triggers your curiosity towards the other person. This is then taken care of by acquiring more information about the other person. 

Lets base this theory by inflicting the story of how the usual boy meets girl works, using the scenes in the romantic comedy drama, Crazy Stupid Love (2011). 



Jacob (Ryan Gosling) and Hannah (Emma Stone) met in a club when Jacob tried to flirt and seduce Hannah similar to what he did to other girls. This womanizer always succeed on getting his one night stand with women. In the case of Hannah, he didn't, which made him ask cognitive question on who this woman is. Hannah's deviance, her rejection to his never-turn-down proposal, was what made him eager to know more about her. There was also 
anticipation of future interaction, similar to what Griffin said. His strategy to reduce uncertainty about Hannah was an active strategy: observing the target.

Hannah, on the other hand, had a different motive in mind. The reason she got back to Jacob, after turning down his preposition, was that she wanted to accomplish a stated goal. After being angry from her false hope towards another guy, she was wanting to try something she never done before, which is to form a relationship based on their physical but not on trust. That was her motivation to search for information. She made herself ask behavioral questions, on "what would happen if or what should i do". Hannah, on the other hand, uses interactive strategy: talk directly to the target. Another strategy is passive, asking others on the target, which not used here.





Once they got together, the supposedly be one-night-stand thing, end up being something different. Self disclosure happened and then uncertainty reduction happened. They came from being strangers, to lovers. How do they get there? It's because of how they are now more certain on the other individual.


During their "self-dislosure" phase, they followed through Berger's 8 different axioms, to reduce uncertainties.


1) Through verbal communication: They talked on matters such as, Hannah asking Jacob on how he usually handle women on the one-night-stand situation.


2) Non-verbal warmth: They fell asleep next to one another.


3) Seeking information: Hannah asking Jacob on how he gets to be rich, which ended up with Jacob talking about his father.


4) Intimacy: They cuddled in bed.


5) Reciprocity: "More i tell you stories, now you tell me yours". They were exchanging stories throughout the night. 


6) Similarities: They are both Americans


7) Liking: They both like each other therefor less uncertainty.


8) Shared Networks: It is revealed at the near end of the movie, that Cal (Steven Carell) who was Jacob's friend, is Hannah's dad, hence, less uncertainty.


From the 8 axioms, Berger formulated 28 theorems, by combining any of the two different axioms. 


In conclusion, the uncertainty reduction theory has it's strength and weaknesses. It is helpful to predict the initial interaction among strangers. It helped to identify their motives by looking at their strategy and their initiation towards the communication. 


However, Kellerman and Reynolds (1990), pointed out that there are high level of uncertainty in interaction that no one wants to reduce. It is also stated that some theorems are illogical. For example, Theorem 17 (the more you like people, the less you seek information about them) . This does not make sense. This thus conclude, that some theorems are flawed, creating weaknesses on the theory itself, whilst it can also be useful to simply observe stranger and see what their motives are.


References:


Griffin, Em. (2009) A First Look At Communication Theory. 7th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill.


Berger, C. R., Calabrese, R. J. (1975). Some Exploration in Initial Interaction and Beyond: Toward a Developmental Theory of Communication. Human Communication Research,


Miller, K. (2005). Communication theories: Perspective, processes and contexts (2nd ed). NY: McGraw Hill

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