COMM 305 1st Edition Lecture 6 Outline of Last Lecture I. Relational ContradictionsII. Praxis PatternsOutline of Current Lecture I. Applying Relational Dialectics to DisclosureII. Uncertainty Reduction Theory (URT)III. Problems with URTIV. Uncertainty Management TheoryCurrent Lecture- Applying Relational Dialectics to Disclosureo Most of out disclosures are positive. However, we tend to remember the negative ones more.o Disclosure is related to health and well beingo Negative disclosures is one of the ways we build trusto We disclose things about ourselves to make ourselves feel bettero Relational Dialectics T gives us questionso SPT gives us predictions Which theory is better is hard to determine without knowing the background of the situation. - Uncertainty Reduction Theory (URT)- initially ONLY about first meetings. Says that first meetings are for reducing uncertainty. You want to make sense of their behavior, predict what they will do. Uncertainty is bad for relationships. (Even though Relational Dialecticstheory says we need uncertainty) o Motivational Force: Uncertainty Reduction There are 3 things that can heighten this motivational force- Anticipating future action- do you think you’ll be seeing this person again?- Incentive value- does the person you’re communicating have something you want or need?These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.- Deviance- the person you’re communicating with acts strange/weirdo Axioms of URT (fundamental laws between uncertainty and URT) Verbal Communication (-)- We communicate verbally with each other to reduce uncertainty, and the more we communicate verbally the more we’ll reduce uncertainty. Nonverbal Expressiveness (-)- As we reduce uncertainty, we’ll be more nonverbally expressive Information Seeking (+)- To reduce uncertainty, you’ll seek less information Intimacy (-)- As uncertainty is high, intimacy is low Reciprocity (+)- The more uncertain you are about someone, the more you’ll reciprocate in your disclosures.  Similarities (-)- The more alike we find ourselves to be, the less uncertainty we’ll experience. Liking (-)- The more certain you are, the more you like someone.o Putting the Axioms Together One axiom will encourage (discourage) another axiom through reduced (increased) uncertainty- Problems with URTo The theory isn’t complete enough.  Ex: It doesn’t talk about the emotional aspect of the uncertainty. The theory doesn’t apply across cultures The idea that uncertainty is something we always want to reduce- Uncertainty Management Theory- less about relationship development and more aboutuncertainty itself and how uncertainty is connected to communication. Can be summarized in three ideas: o The way we react to uncertainty will be determined by how we appraise it.o We manage uncertainty through communicationo Management can include reducing, but also maintaining or even increasing