COMM 502 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Uncertainty Reduction Theory, Fritz Heider
18 Oct 2016
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Charles berger notes that the beginnings of personal relationships are fraught with uncertainties. Uncertainty reduction theory focuses on how human communication is used to gain knowledge and create understanding. Any of three prior conditions anticipation of future interaction, incentive value, or deviance can boost our drive to reduce uncertainty. Berger"s emphasis on explanation (our inferences about why people do what they do) comes from the attribution theory of fritz heider. There are at least two types of uncertainty. Behavioral questions, which are often reduced by following accepted procedural protocols. Cognitive questions, which are reduced by acquiring information. Berger proposes a series of axioms to explain the connection between uncertainty and eight key variables. Axiom 1, verbal communication: as the amount of verbal communication between strangers increases, the level of uncertainty decreases, and as a result, verbal communication increases. Axiom 2, nonverbal warmth: as nonverbal affiliative expressiveness increases, uncertainty levels will decrease.
