Uncertainty Reduction Theory of:

Charles Berger

This web page has been created by Stephanie Anop, Matt Basinger, and Kelly Conway as a project for Dr. Judith Lee's Fall,1998, InCo 234 Communication Theory Class. We hope to further your understanding of Charles Berger's Uncertainty Reduction Theory.

Charles Berger believes that it's natural to have doubts about our ability to predict the outcome of initial encounters. Berger, a professor of communication who is now at the University of California, Davis, notes that "the beginnings of personal relationships are fraught with uncertainties." Berger's uncertainty reduction theory focuses on how human communication is used to gain knowledge and create understanding. Central to this theory is the assumption that when strangers meet, their primary concern is one of uncertainty reduction or increasing predictibility about the behavior of both themselves and others in the interaction.

To give you a better understanding of this theory I will cite an example given in Em Griffin's A First Look at Communication Theory.

"No matter how close two people eventually become, they always begin as strangers. Let's say you've just taken a job as a driver for a delivery service over the Christmas holidays. After talking with the other drivers, you conclude that your income and peace of mind will depend on working out a good relationship with Heather, the radio dispatcher. All you know about Heather is her attachment to Hannah, a 100-pound Labrador retriever who never lets Heather out of her sight. The veteran drivers joke that it's hard to tell the difference between the voices of Heather and Hannah over the radio. With some qualms you make arrangements to meet Heather (and Hannah) over coffee and donuts before your first day of work. You really have no idea what to expect.

Berger believes that our main purpose in talking to people is to "make sense" out of our interpersonal world. That's why you're having breakfast with a stranger and her dog. If you brought your own hound to the meeting, chances are the two dogs would sniff each other, trying to get some idea of what their counterpart was like. Humans are no different; we're just a bit more subtle as we use symbols instead os smells to reach our conclusions."

Learn more about this theory...

Discussion: Kelly Conway

Research: Stephanie Anop

Here are some outside sources to help you study Uncertainty Reduction Theory:

NITG-TNO Publications

Uncertainty Reduction Theory

Theory to Practice-Uncertainty Reduction Theory

Central to this theory, is the idea that human behavior is predictable. The Elaboration Likelihood Model is an influence theory developed by Richard Petty and John Cacioppo that atttempts to explain human behavior in much the same way that Uncertainty Reduction does.

Check out Dr. Judith Lee's Communication Theory Pages.

This page was created by Matt Basinger and last modified on November 18, 1998.