COMM 89 - L 8 - Professor Morola PDF

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Professor Morola...

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COMM 89 - L 8 ● Uncertainty Reduction Theory ○ When we first meet people, we are uncertain and it makes us uncomfortable, so we relieve it by engaging in various behaviors ● 3 Phases of Initial Interaction ○ Entry phase: beginning stage on an interaction between strangers ■ Ex. What’s your major? ○ Personal phase: people begin communicating more spontaneously and personally ■ Ex. What things do you have in common? ○ Exit phase: decide whether to continue or leave ■ Ex. ● 7 “Axioms” of URT ○ Axiom - a causal relationship assumed to be true ○ Axiom 1: Uncertainty is negatively associated with verbal communication ■ The more verbal communication, the less uncertainty ○ Axiom 2: Uncertainty is negatively associated with nonverbal affiliative expressiveness ■ Affiliation = liking and warmth, nonverbals can indicate this (ex. Smiles) ○ Axiom 3: Uncertainty is positively associated with information seeking behavior ○ Axiom 4: Uncertainty is negatively associated with intimacy of communication content ■ When people develop relational closeness, uncertainty is supposed to be reduced ○ Axiom 5: Uncertainty is positively associated with reciprocity rate ■ If someone shares something with you, you’ll share the same thing ○ Axiom 6: Uncertainty is negatively associated with similarity ■ The more we see similarities, the more we like each other ○ Axiom 7: Uncertainty is negatively associated with liking ■ The more I don’t know about you, the less likely I am to like you ● Strategies for Reducing Uncertainty ○ 1. Passive: unobtrusive observation ■ Reactivity searching ● Watching someone react to something or do something ● Response people work through ■ Disinhibition searching ● Their genuine selves, with their friends ■ Gathering data and information, not asking questions, just watching ○ 2. Active: some type of effort other than direct contact ○ 3. Interactive: engaging in direct contact with person of interest ■ Ex. Sliding into them DMs ○ 4. Extractive: online info-seeking strategies ■ Ex. Google, because people don’t have control over what comes up ● Uncertainty in Established Relationships

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Relational uncertainty ■ When relational uncertainty is high: ● Partners feel more jealousy ● Less trust ● Appraise partner’s behaviors more negatively ● Engage in fewer maintenance behaviors ○ Relational maintenance = the work we put in ○ Uncertainty Management (Brashers, 2001) ■ Information and uncertainty are different ● More information does not always reduce uncertainty ● Just because we are uncertain doesn’t mean we always know ■ Seeking or avoiding information is ongoing process ■ This is particularly true in health contexts ● Applies to interpersonal contexts or general relational uncertainty ○ Some things you just don’t need/want to know Evaluating URT ○ Strengths ■ Testability ■ Scope (increased with time) ■ Heurism ● Intercultural and small group comm, doctor patient comm, CMC ○ Weaknesses ■ Logical Consistency ■ Utility ● Axiom 3 - when people are uncertain, they want information. Is this always a good idea? Are people always interested? ■ Parsimony Social Exchange Theory ○ Theorists: John Thibaut and Harold Kelley ○ Major premise: we communicate with others in order to optimize own well being ○ Context: Cognitive theory of interpersonal communication ○ Economic modeling of relationships ○ Assumptions ■ Seek rewards and avoid punishments ■ Rationality - people use logical thinking ○ Evaluations of costs and rewards vary ■ Over time ■ Across people ○ Relationships are interdependent ■ One affects the other ○ Relationships are processes ■ Unfold and change over time ○ Key Concepts ■ Costs (-)

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Rewards (+) Social exchange: voluntary trade of objects and/or activities between 2 or more people ● Worth = Rewards - Costs ● Outcome - whether people continue with a relationship or terminate it Minimax Principle: people seek to maximize their benefits and minimize their costs in relationships...