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Uncertainty Reduction Theory

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It is a common fact of life that with every new day, individuals are infused with a number of uncertainties; some small and miniscule, such as meeting a student next to you in a classroom, while others life-changing and pivotal, including switching careers or becoming a parent. As each new unpredictable day arises, uncertainty fills the air, constantly swarming one’s emotions and daily interactions. While factors of uncertainty revolve around routinely aspects, Charles Berger and Richard Calabrese (1975) narrowed their focus and devised a theory specifically on uncertainty and interpersonal communication. By studying how human communication is used to gain knowledge and create understanding, Berger and Calabrese unveiled the first generation to reducing uncertainty in interpersonal communication (Griffin, 2011). Known as the Uncertainty Reduction Theory (Berger, 1975), its original form focused on how strangers communicate, noting that the “beginnings of personal relationships are usually fraught with uncertainties” (Griffin, 2011, 130). By means of intensive research and ultimately, complete comprehension, it is evident that the Uncertainty Reduction Theory helps scholars correlate uncertainty with interpersonal communication, thus advancing to significant predictions on how people behave when they are uncertain. Before diving into its specific components, it is important to acknowledge the foundation and premise of the Uncertainty Reduction Theory in order to fully grasp its validity. First, the term ‘uncertainty’ must be acknowledged as a function of the number and likelihood of alternatives that may occur, implying that uncertainty is high when there are several outcomes that are all equally plausible or, uncertainty is low when only one possible outcome is likely (Knobloch, 2008). This type of uncertainty characterizes a subjective experience of feeling

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