Uncertainty reduction theory refers to the increased knowledge of what kind of person another is that provides an improveforecast of how a future interaction will turn out. (Griffin, 2009, p.126). The Uncertainty Reduction Theory asserts that people have a need to reduce uncertainty about others by gaining information about them. Information gained can then be used to predict the others' behavior. Reducing uncertainty is particularly important in relationship development, so it is typical to find more uncertainty reduction behavior among people when they expect or want to develop a relationship than among people who expect or know they will not develop a relationship.
The goal of uncertainty reduction theory is to understand how people act and react to each other in order to reduce uncertainties during their first interaction. People tend to become uncomfortable when they are uncertain; therefore, we like try to predict how things are going to go in order to reduce that uncertainty. The theory explains that when strangers first meet they try to increase predictability and find explanations to what happens in initial encounters.
From my onipion, uncertainty reduction theory is the effort that people make to build relationships. This happens when people meet each other as strangers at first. According to Charles Berger (1982,p.56), an expert in communication theory, getting to know another person can be understood as a process of trying to reduce feelings of uncertainty in the interaction so that both people feel increasingly confident and secure. Berger (1982, p.55) proposes a series of axioms (basic principles) linking the concept of uncertainty with certain key variables of relationship development:
Axiom 1: As the amount of verbal communication increases, the level of uncertainty in the relationship decreases. As uncertainty decreases, the amount of verbal communication increases.
Axiom 2: As the expression of non-verbal warmth increases, uncertainty decreases. As uncertainty decreases, nonverbal warmth increases.
Axiom 3: High levels of uncertainty cause increases in information-seeking behaviour. Low levels of uncertainty cause decreases in information-seeking-behaviour.
Axiom 4: High levels of uncertainty restrain the intimacy level of communication content. Low levels of uncertainty promote high levels of intimacy in communication content
Axiom 5: High levels of uncertainty produce high rates of reciprocity. Low levels of uncertainty produce low levels of reciprocity
Axiom 6: Similarities between persons reduce uncertainty, while dissimilarities increase uncertainty
Axiom 7: Increases in uncertainty level produce decreases in liking; decreases in uncertainty produce increases in liking.”
In order to analyse this theory, an example that I am going to use is the characters of Teri and Jay from the movie ‘Raise your voice’.
Terri Fletcher (Hilary Duff), a teenager with a passion for singing, has been accepted into a music program in Los Angeles to compete for a $10,000 scholarship shortly after her brother Paul (Jason Ritter)'s tragic death in a car crash.
Terri arrives in Los Angeles and weathers some difficult ordeals: her jacket is stolen, her cab driver is crabby, and when she arrives at the music school, the door is locked; fellow student Jay (Oliver James) lets her in and Terri arrives safely. This is when Terri and Jay met for the first time as strangers. At first they did not talk very much as Terri was in a hurry to get into her room. Therefore, this increases the uncertainties in Jay and Jay had a lot of questions in his head as he wanted to know more about Terri. When strangers meet for the first time, their first primary concern would be to reduce their uncertainties about one another due to the fact they feel uncomfortable knowing little about each other. (West & Turner, 2010, p.54)
Next day, when the school started, Jay had some small talks with Terri asking her the courses that she is goin to take at the school, where she’s from and so on. From these small talks, thye become more comfortable with each other and when this happens, they had so much to talk about. Then, both Jay and Terri are in the same classes therefore they will exchange smiles whenever their eyes met. This assurance gave confidence to both of them. As time goes by, Jay started to seek information about Terri for example asking about more personal matters including about family
Jay even decided to take Terri out on a date and this shows that Jay had already has a connection with Terri. When Terri knew that she could trust Jay, Terri started to share about the death of her brother which was actually very personal to her since was involved in the accident too. When Jay knew about this, Jay became close with her since Jay already knew the ups and downs in Terri’s life.
When both of them are comfortable with each other, they spent their time together practicing their important music performance where the winners will receive the sponsored scholarship. They agreed to perform the song that they had produced together. Jay played the musical instrument while Terri sang. Both Jay and Terri won the competition and in the ned, they left for college together.
References :
Berger, C. R. (1982). Language and social knowledge: Uncertainty in interpersonal relations. London: Arnold.
Griffin, E. (2009). A first look at communication theory. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies
West, R., Turner, L., H., (2010) Introducing Communication Theory: Analysis and Application (4th Edition). New York :The McGraw-Hill Companies.
Aziimah binti Othman (11B8111)