Uncertainty Reduction Theory

Uncertainty reduction theory is a collaborative work made by Charles Berger and Richard Calabrese. This theory illustrates how, people have uncertainties during the early beginnings of encountering with people that you have not met, so individuals try to predict the other person’s behavior to try and reduce uncertainties through self-disclosure and by finding our more information about the other person.

There are two types of uncertainties that Berger has stated when you first meet the other person, which are behavioral questions and cognitive questions (Griffin, 2009). Behavioral questions are sets of questions that you ask yourself, to reduce uncertainties in a situation where that person will display accepted behavior protocols to ease the stress (Griffin, 2009) and cognitive question is when that person starts looking and asking for information about the other person.

There are three reasons why people would like to seek information from the person they first meet. The first reason is because of incentive, where they feel that they want to know more about the other person, who controls the reward that he/she is interested in. The second reason would be deviation because human beings has a sense of curiosity when it comes to an individual violating our expectations of the norms and values of society, hence people would want to know more information about them. And lastly, it would be because of anticipation of future interaction, where people would interact with a stranger because they believe that they will be more of this person around.

Throughout the study of uncertainty reduction theory, according to Em Griffin (2009) Berger had proposed a series of axioms to explain the connection between uncertainty and eight key variables, to support this theory and in turn had produced 28 theorems. Thus, information is obtained, uncertainty is reduced; as uncertainty diminishes, there is a reduction in the need to use information gathering strategies like “question asking” (Ayres, 1979).

Media text

This is a pilot scence for F.R.I.E.N.D.S where this scene show Monica introducing Rachel to the group and later everyone asked what was wrong, to reduce uncertanties because deviance can be seen through Rachel where everyone is curios and interested with what was going on with her. It is not likely to see a women in a wedding dress running into a coffee shop and because of Rachel's character she is very open, hence he was able to self-disclose her situation and private matters which made everyone around that table likely to be comfortable.

Reference:

Ayres, J. (1979). Uncertainty and Social Penetration Theory Expectations About Relationship Communication: A Comparative Test. The Western Journal Of Speech Communication 43, 192-200.

Griffin, E. (2009). A first look at communication theory (7th ed.). Glencoe, IL: McGrawHill