COMM 4364 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Uncertainty Reduction Theory, Sensemaking
The ability of two or more persons to jointly create and maintain a mutually
satisfying relationship by constructing appropriate and effective messages.
What do we need as communicators?
Rewards?
Comfort of certainty?
Inclusion, control, affection?
Self-disclosure?
Uncertainty Reduction Theory
-Initial Interactions
-We seek to increase our ability to make predictions about each other in order to
make sense of our communication experience
Proactive Processes: attempts to reduce uncertainty prior to a communicative
episode
Retroactive Processes: apply sense-making tools to events after their occurrence
-People experiencing uncertainty in interpersonal settings
-No prior information=inability to predict, explain
-Uncertainty is an aversive state
-When strangers meet, there are two primary goals:
-Reduce Uncertainty (information-seeking)
-Increase predictability
Entry phase personal phase exit phase
Entry Phase:
-First stage in an interaction between strangers
-Interaction is guided by implitcit and explicit rulers and norms (stating your name,
shaking hands, asking (ow are you?
Social Exchange Theory
Individuals seek to:
-Maximize rewards in relationships
-minimize costs in relationships
Cost-benefit analysis:
-am ) getting enough out of this relationship?
-…given what im putting in to it?
We stay in relationships that are more rewarding that they are costly.
We stay in relationships that are more rewarding than the alternatives.
LOOK)NG GLASS
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Document Summary
(cid:498)the ability of two or more persons to jointly create and maintain a mutually satisfying relationship by constructing appropriate and effective messages. (cid:499) We seek to increase our ability to make predictions about each other in order to make sense of our communication experience. Proactive processes: attempts to reduce uncertainty prior to a communicative episode. Retroactive processes: apply sense-making tools to events after their occurrence. When strangers meet, there are two primary goals: Interaction is guided by implitcit and explicit rulers and norms (stating your name, No prior information=inability to predict, explain shaking hands, asking (cid:498)(ow are you? (cid:499) (cid:498)am ) getting enough out of this relationship? (cid:499) Given what im putting in to it? (cid:499) (cid:498)look)ng glass(cid:499) We stay in relationships that are more rewarding that they are costly. We stay in relationships that are more rewarding than the alternatives. The self: is not inwardly set, is not socially given.
