QUIZ 3 SPC 3210 Uncertainty Reduction Theory sometimes called Initial Interaction Theory I URT Berger and Calabrese 1975 explains how verbal and nonverbal signals as a tool to find out information about others it s used to find out information about others so that we can feel comfortable in our daily interactions a in interacting our goal is to reduce uncertainties in a stranger s first conversation primarily concerned with increasing predictability in effort to make sense out of the communication experience b What we do in beginning conversations To anticipate and predict what others do or say to understand our interactions with them 1 Prediction is ability to forecast our and others behavioral choices 2 Explanation is the attempted ability to interpret and understand meaning behind these behaviors based on past action Shannon and Weaver 1949 theory that uncertainty exists whenever number of possible alternatives in situation is high and the likelyhood of occurance is relatively equal uncertainty decreased when there is a likelyhood of one chosen occurence FOUNDATION OF THEORY a These two concepts are primary subprocesses of uncertainty reduction Uncertainty occurs when the number of potential different behaviors is high and there is not enough information to determine how people will act react in a given situation so anything could happen Berger Calabrese think we are motivated to predict and explain what occurs in initial encounters Theorists contend that communication is the vehicle by which people reduce their uncertainty about one another reduced uncertainty creates conditions ripe for the development for the development of interpersonal relations Types of Uncertainty Theory slightly elaborated Berger Bradac 1982 to suggests there are two types of uncertainty Cognitive Cognitions refer to the beliefs and attitudes we others hold thus Cog Uncertainty is that uncertainty associated with beliefs and attitudes that we and others hold ex on FSU campus gave to teachers stickers to show they were a safe place for gay community signal that it was a safe place in attempt to reduce uncertainty spiked uncertainty for homophobic students Behavioral Extent to which behavior is predictable in a given situation because we have cultural small talk rituals people often know how to act but if rituals were violated through innopropriate self disclosure revealing private info or by totally ignoring the other behavioral incertainty increases Video example if you walk into teacher s office and there s two seats you try and predict what the teacher will do If teacher says come have seat and he sits right there we laugh because uncertainty goes up Even when he sits down sitting so closely would be inopropriate crossing a line which spikes uncertainty Uncertainty examples enter class room and someone smiles one might interpret this as friendly an accident caused by squinting because sun is in eyes but because we understand norm of college to be a friendly place one would likely choose to smile back TO INTERACT IN SMOOTH COORDINATED UNDERSTANDABLE MANNER one must be able to predict home one s interaction partner likely will behave and using these predictions select from one s own repetoire those responses that will optimize outcomes of encounter Processes associated with uncertainty reduction 1 Proactive processes attempts we make to reduce uncertainty before we engage ourselves in a communication episode attempt to avoid other classmate planning what to say a b Sometimes used to reduce uncertainty adding teacher on friend as facebook before entering class in Fall 2 Retroactive processes trying to make sense out of episodes that have already occurred a questioning WHY someone said something 7 Concepts relating to uncertainty 1 Verbal output what is said 2 Nonverbal warmth how we respond physically to a person 3 4 Self disclosure how much personal info we reveal to another 5 Reciprocity of disclosure how much info we reveal in response to the self disclosure of Information seeking how we collect info someone 6 Similarity how alike we perceive ourselves to be to someone 7 Liking affinity towards another person URT posits dynamic movement of interpersonal relationships in initial stages this theory is example of original theorizing on communication because 1 employs concepts info seeking self disclosure specifically relevant to study of behavior 2 Attempts to place communication of cornerstone of behavior I Assumptions of Uncertainty Reduction Theory A Uncertainty happens in interpersonal situations due to differing expectations you can generally tell a when people cant make sense of surrounding anxiety occurs b when noticing classmate leaving quickly if there are many explanations and one cannot accurately assume why he has done this uncertainty exists B Uncertainty is stressful averse state generating cognitive stress a when working for new boss a LOT of questions but in time they are answered and stress reduced C People meeting for the first time both PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH desire to reduce uncertainty and increase predictability a Always a chance that ones partner responds unconventionally to even simplest message b SOLVED WITH INFORMATION SEEKING asking questiong to get a good sense of other s needs EXAMPLE Politicians D Interpersonal relationships go through a three step development process which differ in order and length of time depending on the participants PHASES 1 Entry Phase guided by norms when meeting another 2 Personal Phase stage when people begin to communicate more spontaneously personally reveal more info can occur during initial encounter but likely to begin after multiple convos 3 Exit Phase point when you decide if you wish to continue interaction with partner in future considered universal framework existing to explain how interpersonal communication shapes and reflects development of interpersonal relations E The only way to reduce uncertainty is to obtain information through verbal nonverbal interaction PRIMARY MEANS a b c interpersonal comm is focus of URT draws on interpersonal context requires host of preconditions Listening skills non verbal response cues shared language i sometimes these conditions arent met EXAMPLE talking to hearing impaired who dont have full senses affect uncertainty F The amount and type of information we collect changes over time as our interpersonal relationships change underscores nature of time as a whole a b c focus on the fact that
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