COMM 1100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 19: Policy Of Deliberate Ambiguity, Uncertainty Reduction Theory, Social Penetration Theory
8 Apr 2016
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Document Summary
Social penetration theory is a useful tool for explaining the process of building an interpersonal relationship, but less clear on why we do. Talks about humans as tactical, benefit seeking. Another way to think about this is dissonance. Drive like state where we feel cognitive ambivalence about some things. Compelled to act to neutralize the cause of dissonance. Em griffin (book author) suggests he is the first to forward a communication theory having been trained in communication itself. Everyday life generally, and interpersonal communication specifically, motivated by uncertainty: we feel compelled to minimize that cognitive state. A little clearer than spt in explaining motivations to reduce uncertainty: anticipation of future interaction, incentive value, deviance. Uncertainty can be about behavioral questions or cognitive questions. Axiom: self-evident truth which require no proof/testing: verbal communication: as talking increases, uncertainty decreases, nonverbal warmth: about body language, affiliative expression, as nonverbal warmth increases, uncertainty decreases.
