Chapter 9 Uncertainty Reduction Theory

The uncertainty reduction theory is basically the idea that we as people are uncertain about people that we don't know and that as you get to know a person the uncertainly of that person will change. In class, we talked about the 8 axioms of the uncertainty reduction theory. Each axiom explains what happens when uncertainty is either raised or lowered. After going over each axiom I found myself disagreeing with some of them. One specific axiom that I strongly did not agree with was axiom 7. This axiom says that as uncertainty increases your like for that person decreases. I personaly, have had a few experiences where I thought that I really like a person but when I got to know them better and found out more about them, my liking for them decreased. I do however feel that in some cases this axiom can be held true, but I don't think that it has any significant truth to it. I felt that over all I agreed with most of these axioms but I do feel that there are exceptions to all of them. This theory also talks about ways of coping with uncertainty. Out of the examples given for this I found that I tend to use both the active and interactive methods of coping with uncertainty. When I am getting to know a person I definately try and find out information about them both through other people and from talking to them one on one.