Theory of Uncertainty Management
General Purpose: The Theory of Uncertainty Management is a theory about uncertainty reduction.
Specific Purpose: The theory of uncertainty management focuses on uncertainty and information seeking, focusing on how people respond to uncertainty.
Key terms, concepts, and definitions:
In this theory, one key concept is the difference between information and uncertainty. In Uncertainty Management Theory, these two concepts are treated as distinct yet related. Individuals vary in the level of information they possess about an event, situation, or person, and individuals can feel more or less certain about the level of information they possess. There may be cases where individuals have a lot of information, but still feel uncertain or insecure about the amount of knowledge and the state of this knowledge.
Emotions are also important in Uncertainty Management Theory. Uncertainty Management Theory seeks to recognize emotions beyond anxiety, the common reaction or response in uncertainty theories: emotional responses in UMT to uncertainty and lack of the desired level of information are perceived as positive, negative, combined, or neutral. In positive responses, uncertainty is viewed as beneficial. In negative responses, uncertainty is viewed as a danger/threat. In combined responses, uncertainty results in both positive and negative responses. Finally, in neutral responses, uncertainty is viewed as inconsequential. For neutral responses,
Uncertainty Management represents the processes involved in seeking or avoiding information to correct reduced levels of knowledge when more knowledge is desired. In general, uncertainty management recognizes that uncertainty is managed differently based on information, uncertainty, and knowledge:
● When individuals do not have the level of knowledge they desire, but do not care (neutral responses), individuals will not seek more information.
● When individuals do not have the level of knowledge they desire, but they do care (positive, negative, or combined responses), individuals will seek more information.
As part of uncertainty management, there are four primary strategies:
1. Direct information seeking
2. Adapting to chronic uncertainty
3. Relying on social support from others to manage uncertainty
4. Manage our needs for certainty in one area with our desire for uncertainty in another domain, which involves skill at trusting sources of information and learning to ignore certain types of information.
What does the theory do? This theory recognizes the various ways in which individuals can seek information to correct his/her level of knowledge, and seeks to explain why in some cases individuals seek more information about particular events, problems, or situations, and how this desire for information is managed in an ongoing process.
Where can it be applied? While this theory has commonly been applied to seek information and reduce uncertainty in health contexts, this theory can also be applied in interpersonal contexts, to understand when and why individuals seek information about relational partners, relational problems, and general relational uncertainty.
Summary source:
Brashers, D. E. (2001). Communication and Uncertainty Management. Journal of Communication,
51, 477–497. doi: 10.1111/j.1460-2466.2001.tb02892.x
Exemplar articles:
Brashers, D. E., Goldsmith, D. J. and Hsieh, E. (2002). Information Seeking and Avoiding in Health
Contexts. Human Communication Research, 28: 258–271. doi:
10.1111/j.1468-2958.2002.tb00807.x
Brashers, D.E., Neidig, J.K., and Goldsmith, D.J. (2004). Social support and the management of
uncertainty for people living with HIV or AIDS. Health Communication, 16, 305-331. doi: 10.1207/S15327027HC1603_3
Specific Purpose: The theory of uncertainty management focuses on uncertainty and information seeking, focusing on how people respond to uncertainty.
Key terms, concepts, and definitions:
In this theory, one key concept is the difference between information and uncertainty. In Uncertainty Management Theory, these two concepts are treated as distinct yet related. Individuals vary in the level of information they possess about an event, situation, or person, and individuals can feel more or less certain about the level of information they possess. There may be cases where individuals have a lot of information, but still feel uncertain or insecure about the amount of knowledge and the state of this knowledge.
Emotions are also important in Uncertainty Management Theory. Uncertainty Management Theory seeks to recognize emotions beyond anxiety, the common reaction or response in uncertainty theories: emotional responses in UMT to uncertainty and lack of the desired level of information are perceived as positive, negative, combined, or neutral. In positive responses, uncertainty is viewed as beneficial. In negative responses, uncertainty is viewed as a danger/threat. In combined responses, uncertainty results in both positive and negative responses. Finally, in neutral responses, uncertainty is viewed as inconsequential. For neutral responses,
Uncertainty Management represents the processes involved in seeking or avoiding information to correct reduced levels of knowledge when more knowledge is desired. In general, uncertainty management recognizes that uncertainty is managed differently based on information, uncertainty, and knowledge:
● When individuals do not have the level of knowledge they desire, but do not care (neutral responses), individuals will not seek more information.
● When individuals do not have the level of knowledge they desire, but they do care (positive, negative, or combined responses), individuals will seek more information.
As part of uncertainty management, there are four primary strategies:
1. Direct information seeking
2. Adapting to chronic uncertainty
3. Relying on social support from others to manage uncertainty
4. Manage our needs for certainty in one area with our desire for uncertainty in another domain, which involves skill at trusting sources of information and learning to ignore certain types of information.
What does the theory do? This theory recognizes the various ways in which individuals can seek information to correct his/her level of knowledge, and seeks to explain why in some cases individuals seek more information about particular events, problems, or situations, and how this desire for information is managed in an ongoing process.
Where can it be applied? While this theory has commonly been applied to seek information and reduce uncertainty in health contexts, this theory can also be applied in interpersonal contexts, to understand when and why individuals seek information about relational partners, relational problems, and general relational uncertainty.
Summary source:
Brashers, D. E. (2001). Communication and Uncertainty Management. Journal of Communication,
51, 477–497. doi: 10.1111/j.1460-2466.2001.tb02892.x
Exemplar articles:
Brashers, D. E., Goldsmith, D. J. and Hsieh, E. (2002). Information Seeking and Avoiding in Health
Contexts. Human Communication Research, 28: 258–271. doi:
10.1111/j.1468-2958.2002.tb00807.x
Brashers, D.E., Neidig, J.K., and Goldsmith, D.J. (2004). Social support and the management of
uncertainty for people living with HIV or AIDS. Health Communication, 16, 305-331. doi: 10.1207/S15327027HC1603_3