Uncertainty+Management+Theory

Zach Groth =**Uncertainty Management Theory**=


 * Definitions of Uncertainty Management Theory:**

William B. Gudykunst’s anxiety/uncertainty management theory (AUM, 1985) suggests, “Uncertainty involves the inability to predict or explain others’ attitudes, behavior, and feelings. Anxiety involves feelings of being uneasy, tense, worried, or apprehensive.” (Donsbach, 2008) Gudykunst argues that controlling levels of anxiety and uncertainty is a key part of all communication, sexual and otherwise.

Definitions of related theories, as well as applications, are presented in altered form very often. Dale Brashers suggests, ““reducing uncertainty” is only one of an indefinite number of responses to events or behaviors that are unpredictable, ambiguous, equivocal, or lacking information, it should be subsumed in a broader communication and uncertainty management.” (Brashers, 2000) Specifically, Brashers (2000) claims theories of uncertainty management should increase a focus on “seeking and avoiding information, adapting to chronic uncertainty, obtaining assistance with uncertainty management through social support, and managing uncertainty management.”


 * Uncertainty with diseases:**

Problems with uncertainty can grip people who are diagnosed with sexual diseases. People living with HIV or AIDS may have a stigma that “disease might create fear off rejection and social isolation, the trajectory of the illness is highly variable across persons, and most treatments are consider experimental, which leads to questions about their safety and efficacy.” (Brashers, 2000) Not knowing how to tell a potential partner, or budding relationship, that you could potentially give them a disease can cause all sorts of failure. Even when health condition improves, people’s uncertainty about future issues can cause increased stress and hindered social relationships. Once again, simply knowing the numeric risks of reoccurrence of disease can reduce inner tension.

Brashers (2000) adds that uncertainty surrounding illness can cause people in new relationships to question the status of their relationship, and whether or not they should try to make sexual advances. If you think you’re partner may be hiding a disease from you, you’re less likely to treat them as you normally would. Reducing uncertainty in these situations may be difficult, as partners may not wish to hurt each other’s feelings.

Theories about uncertainty management suggest that these concerns can be decreased by receiving more information about the disease, and having more open conversation with doctors and relationship partners. Knowing the risks about transmitting your disease, the most effective/ineffective ways to prevent them, the most accurate factual information about health problems of every disease: acquiring all of these types of information can cut down on uncertainty for those people with STDs. Open interpersonal communication is tied to this.


 * Uncertainty in relationships:**

Not knowing how someone another person stands with you in terms of friendship/relationship can cause different issues wit uncertainty management. Brashers (2000) said “close friends potentially face uncertainty about the meaning of affection displays or the possibility of sexual tension in their relationship.” Although ‘close friends’ may work towards uncertainty reduction by having more open talks about budding sexuality, this could cause problems with the existing friendship. Like all aspects of uncertainty management, it’s not a clear-cut formula.

Uncertainty about potential relationships can cause people to question their own relationships like, “How should I respond?” and “What is the status of this relationship?” (Knoblock and Miller, 2008) Qualities of uncertainty at the beginning of a relationship can predict how partners will communicate with each other. Making an effort to eliminate uncertainty can lead to more communication in relationships (the same way more communication in relationships can lead to less uncertainty). If people are more aware of their partner’s behavior, their likely to be more trusting, leading to a healthier relationship. Individual instances of relationship uncertainty can deal with “deception, competing relationships, and surprising changes in a partner’s behavior.” (Knobloch, 2009). Knobloch (2009) said these individual instances of uncertainty are valuable for documenting the strategies people use to communicate about unexpected events.

Uncertainty may impact definitions of established relationships. Couples may be left questioning different aspects of their relationship: whether or not their relationship will be long term, whether or not they should be monogamous, what exactly their partner’s definition of ‘monogamous’ really is, etc. About uncertainty and relationships, Brashers (2009) writes, “This complexity requires people to develop uncertainty management skills that are sensitive to multiple goals and tasks so that they can have productive and happy lives.”

But, trends in uncertainty in relationships may drift towards negativity. Knobloch (2009) suggests that relational uncertainty is often associated (across all cultures) with feelings of “anger, sadness, and fear.” Reducing uncertainty in these situations may be critical for the health of a relationship. Unnecessary anger and fear may cause couples to question infidelity, and come up with reasons for the relationship to fail, even when none are present. Controlling levels of uncertainty in these situations could lead to both parties in a relationship feeling generally happier and more trustworthy.


 * Uncertainty and emotion:**

Emotion in general is tied to uncertainty management. Different types of uncertainty can inspire different types of emotional response. Negative emotional responses in relationship decision making can be an issue if there is uncertainty related to health or safety. This could be something like an STD, or the fear that you’re partner may have previously engaged in domestic violence. If uncertainty could potentially lead to something beneficial, a positive emotional response is the result. This would be one of the cases in which an individual may work to increase uncertainty. This could include, for example, not knowing whether or not someone is wealthy, when they’ve made no claims about it thus far. And, when uncertainty doesn’t really impact a situation, the uncertainty at hand is inconsequential, a neutral emotional response could occur. (Brashers, 2000). Netural emotional response could occur in a situation like this: A girlfriend isn’t sure whether or not her boyfriend speaks another language. This likely will not change the emotional aspect of their relationship. Each situation can inspire a different type of emotional response, and people with different personalities will react differently to each situation. Selective uncertainty management can make a huge impact on the immediate or long term dynamic of any relationship, sexual or otherwise.


 * References:**

Brashers, D. (2000). Communication in the Management of Uncertainty: The Case of Persons Living with HIV or AIDS.

Brashers, D. (2009). Communication and Uncertainty Management.

Donsbach, W. (2008) Anxiety Uncertainty Management Theory. The International Encyclopedia of Communicaiton.

Knobloch L. and Miller, L. (2008) Uncertainty and Relationship Initiation. Handbook of Relationship Initiation.

Knobloch L. (2009) Relationship Uncertainty and Interpersonal Communication. New Directions in Interpersonal Communication Research.

Picture: psychologicalscience.org