uncertainty reduction theory

Although uncertainty reduction theory has its critics it remains a popular theory because it seems so intuitive. For example, one of our cars, a 1982 Toyota Starlet, was getting pretty run down. One side window was held in with a bungee cord. There was an electrical problem so it wouldn't always start; we'd have to rock the car from side to side or take a mallet to the battery. It had little in the way of safety features (such as air bags). It was time to buy a new car. So we bought a Prius. First we did quite a bit of research on the car, including conversations with people who owned one. Then we test drove one at the dealership. After we bought it, we continued to search for information that reinforced our decision. It was a big purchase, and we wanted to reduce our anxiety about it.

Still, when applied to human communication, uncertainty reduction has its detractors. The theory assumes that all uncertainty is bad, harmony is good, and that more information will reduce uncertainty. Yet these assumptions haven't proved accurate. In addition, as the author of your text points out, several theorems have not stood the test of carefully-designed studies. The idea of uncertainty reduction is intriguing, but like all aspects of human communication, it's much more complex than it appears.