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How uncertainty reduction theory can help relationship development?

How uncertainty reduction theory can help relationship development?

The theory suggests that human beings are uncomfortable with uncertainty and seek the means to predict the trajectory of social interactions. In attempting to reduce that uncertainty, people tend to utilize passive, active, and interactive strategies to help predict and explain someone’s behavior during an interaction.

How do you use uncertainty reduction theory?

Uncertainty Reduction Theory It states that people need to reduce uncertainty about other individuals by gaining information about them. For example, your friend, Sam, invites you to join her and her co-workers for dinner. You know your friend spends a lot of time with her colleague, Deb, both at and outside of work.

What is the role of uncertainty in ongoing relationships?

High levels of uncertainty in a relationship cause decreases in the intimacy level of communication content. Low levels of uncertainty produce high levels of intimacy. Axiom 5. High levels of uncertainty produce high rates of reciprocity.

Who applied uncertainty reduction theory to intercultural communication by further developing the concept of the stranger?

Terms in this set (33) Gudykunst applied the uncertainty reduction theory to develop the concept of the “stranger” – People in other groups that act in ways different from one’s own culture.

Why is uncertainty reduction an important aspect of communication?

Amount of verbal communication and similarity are positively related. Nonverbal affiliative expressiveness and intimacy level of communication content are positively related. Nonverbal affiliative expressiveness and information seeking and information seeking are inversely related.

Why do we have a need to reduce uncertainty According to the theory?

Uncertainty can make people avoid a situation or behavior (aversive state) and cause cognitive stress. Strangers want to reduce uncertainty/increase predictability in initial interaction. Interpersonal communication can be broken down into stages.

How do you deal with uncertainty in a relationship?

How do you use uncertainty in a relationship?

  1. Share your fears. How do you protect yourself from feeling pain?
  2. Give without getting. Learn to give without the promise of getting.
  3. Choose trust. Learn to choose trust and faith, even when you are unsure about a relationship.
  4. Never punish.
  5. Live consciously.

Which communication tradition is uncertainty reduction theory?

post-positivist tradition
The uncertainty reduction theory, also known as initial interaction theory, developed in 1975 by Charles Berger and Richard Calabrese, is a communication theory from the post-positivist tradition.

How do you reduce uncertainty?

For example, one way to estimate the amount of time it takes something to happen is to simply time it once with a stopwatch. You can decrease the uncertainty in this estimate by making this same measurement multiple times and taking the average.

How does uncertainty reduction theory affect communication studies?

Although Uncertainty Reduction Theory has greatly influenced communication studies, it’s not without its critics. Some scholars say that uncertainty reduction is not always the factor motivating communication; some people interact out of a genuine desire to connect positively with others.

What are the assumptions in uncertainty reduction theory?

Uncertainty Reduction Theory rests on several basic assumptions. The main assumption is that uncertainty creates cognitive discomfort, which people will try to reduce. Uncertainty reduction occurs primarily by questioning new acquaintances in an attempt to gather information about them.

How is uncertainty reduction used in everyday life?

Uncertainty reduction occurs primarily by questioning new acquaintances in an attempt to gather information about them. This information can then be used to predict people’s behavior, or the outcome of starting a relationship with them.

Why do people seek to reduce uncertainty in a relationship?

uncertainty reduction theory that people will seek to reduce uncertainty, one study found that when romantic partners feel above normal uncertainty about the relationship, participants view relationship talk as face threatening and thus avoid such talk, which, in turn increases uncertainty