Uncertainty Reduction Theory 2 Uncertainty reduction theory raised my interest when I learned how it impacts people differently. Some people are able to live with uncertainty, while others simply cannot go a day without trying to reduce their uncertainty of someone or something. In 1975, uncertainty reduction theory was created by Charles Berger and Richard Calabrese (147). Their goal was to explain how communication is used to reduce uncertainty when meeting with a stranger for the very first time. Berger and Calabrese (147) believe that when strangers first meet their hope is to increase predictability in an expectation to get something out of the experience. This theory is useful in day-to-day situations, especially in a classroom …show more content…
In the situation of the class getting into pairs with practically strangers, I think that it could have explained more on what the non-verbal cues meant and how the individuals may perceive them. Limitations to this theory, I believe, include not knowing how to measure how a persons anxiety is to be evaluated. I think this is one of the main reasons there was not too many sources on Uncertainty Reduction Theory 6 the specific topic I had picked out. In being critical with this theory I do believe that it could have dived in deeper with how people with anxiety tend to react when first meeting others. It did not have too much information on how others actions can effect individuals who have a hard time reducing uncertainty. I think that critics think that more people can reduce uncertainty quickly and they do not look in depth at the effects trying to reduce uncertainty can have on a specific person. I believe in gathering some people with an anxiety disorder and having them talk to others without one would be a possible way to watch for clues on how they interact and possibly reduce uncertainty or do not. Going back to the situation mentioned in the begging, one person with an anxiety disorder talks to someone who does not have anxiety, pair someone without anxiety with another person without anxiety, and then pair people up who both have an anxiety disorder and see how they answer the questions that were given. I think that this would be an ideal way to measure how each pair acts and if their uncertainty reduces, stays the same or even