What is uncertainty reduction theory?
Uncertainty reduction theory holds that when strangers meet, they communicate to gather information that lets them predict and explain each other’s behavior, gradually reducing uncertainty. Communication scholars Charles Berger and Richard Calabrese introduced it in a 1975 article in the first volume of Human Communication Research.
- Meaning
- People reduce uncertainty about others through communication in early encounters
- Proposed by
- Berger & Calabrese (1975)
- Form
- Seven axioms and theorems derived from them
- Key variables
- Amount of talk, nonverbal warmth, information seeking, self-disclosure, reciprocity, similarity, liking
The seven axioms
Berger and Calabrese stated the theory in the form of axioms, much like a mathematical system. In plain terms:
| Variable | Relationship to uncertainty |
|---|---|
| Verbal communication | More talk reduces uncertainty |
| Nonverbal warmth | More smiles, eye contact and warmth reduce uncertainty |
| Information seeking | High uncertainty increases question asking |
| Intimacy of self-disclosure | High uncertainty lowers intimacy of disclosure |
| Reciprocity | High uncertainty increases reciprocity |
| Similarity | Similarity reduces uncertainty |
| Liking | Reduced uncertainty increases liking |
How do people gather information?
Why do so many first conversations start with "Where are you from?" Berger and Calabrese proposed that initial interactions usually begin with an exchange of demographic information such as age, hometown or major, and move toward more personal attitudes and opinions over time. As people become more predictable to each other, conversation becomes more comfortable and the relationship can progress.
Berger later described three kinds of information-seeking strategies: passive (observing the other person), active (asking third parties) and interactive (asking the person directly).
Extensions and criticisms
- William Gudykunst extended the ideas to intercultural encounters in anxiety/uncertainty management (AUM) theory, often used to explain the disorientation of studying or living abroad.
- Critics note that people do not always seek to reduce uncertainty; they are more motivated when they expect to meet again or when the other person can offer rewards.
- Social penetration theory describes how relationships deepen through self-disclosure after the first meeting, and the Johari window maps what we and others know about ourselves.
Frequently asked questions
- What is uncertainty reduction theory?
- It is a theory, proposed by Berger and Calabrese in 1975, that strangers use communication to gather information and reduce uncertainty about each other.
- How many axioms are there?
- The original article presented seven axioms involving talk, nonverbal warmth, information seeking, self-disclosure, reciprocity, similarity and liking.
- What are the information-seeking strategies?
- Passive (observing), active (asking others) and interactive (talking with the person directly).
References
- Berger, C. R., & Calabrese, R. J. (1975). Some explorations in initial interaction and beyond: Toward a developmental theory of interpersonal communication. Human Communication Research, 1(2), 99–112.