Throughout the quarter we have talked about communication within cultures, and between cultures. Cultures can be made up of people from separate countries, different economic backgrounds, or age groups. Although cultures have to interact with each other each day, it may be from the high school student checking out a middle aged working woman at the grocery store to a man from India ordering food while an airplane layover in London. Each of these encounters may meet with a certain degree of uncertainty. The secret to make these meetings successful is to reduce the uncertainty felt by the communicators. .
Uncertainty Reduction Theory.
Charles Berger's Uncertainty Reduction Theory believes it's natural to have doubts about our ability to predict the outcome of initial encounters. Berger's theory focuses on how human communication is used to gain knowledge and create understanding. The main purpose in talking to people is to "make sense" out of our interpersonal world. Berger uses seven axioms to explain the connection between his concept of uncertainty and relationships. .
• Axiom 1: Verbal, as this communication increases, uncertainty decreases.
• Axiom 2: Nonverbal, as this increases, uncertainty decreases.
• Axiom 3: When there are high levels of uncertainty, there is an increase in information-seeking behavior.
• Axiom 4: High levels of uncertainty cause a decrease in intimacy.
• Axiom 5: High levels of uncertainty produce high rates of reciprocity.
• Axiom 6: Similarities between people reduce uncertainty.
• Axiom 7: Increases in uncertainty produce decreases in liking.
As communicators we realize these concepts and take them to be true. To communicate with others, be the purpose of becoming friends or to simply work together on a team. For successful result we work to reduce the levels of uncertainty.
