Uncertainty Reduction Theory

Uncertainty reduction theory explains both how interpersonal communication is affected by a lack of knowledge and how people use communication to gather information (→ Uncertainty and Communication). This theory was founded on the observation that → initial interactions between strangers routinely involve an exchange of demographic and Public information, and these interactions change in predictable ways as they progress (Berger 1997a). Rather than simply label these patterns as normative, the theory elaborates on the mechanisms that drive interpersonal communication behaviors. Interpersonal communication plays two roles within uncertainty reduction theory: (1) communication is among the behaviors that people seek to predict or explain, and (2) communication is a tool people use to gather information or form predictions and explanations (→ Information Seeking). Over the 30 years since its inception, uncertainty reduction theory has been applied to numerous communication contexts, and it has given rise to several alternative perspectives on uncertainty and communication. Thus, uncertainty reduction theory has had a major impact on the communication discipline.