Components and Functions of Communication During Initial Interaction, With Extrapolations to Beyond

Uncertainty reduction theory has been used to explain communication behavior in initial interaction as well as in more developed relationships. An extension of uncertainty reduction theory is predicted outcome value, in which individuals expect affiliation or attraction as a possible outcome during initial encounters. A complete theory of uncertainty reduction and its relation to affiliative outcomes requires an understanding of the relations among three components of any communicative encounter: preinteraction expectancies about another’s anticipated communication behavior, the structure of the interaction (e.g., behavioral actions and reactions that evolve over the course of a conversation), and the outcome of uncertainty reduction (e.g., affiliation, more certainty, ambiguity). This essay examines the relations among these communicative components in expectancy-outcome studies in which behavior is ignored, in expectancy-structure studies that link expectancies to behavioral responses, in structure-outcome studies in which behaviors are aligned with postinteraction ratings of affiliation, and in studies that examine the conjoint effect of expectancy and structure on outcome. Uncertainty reduction is viewed as a lifelong cognitive process in which new information is processed, so that there is a vague sense of uncertainty despite accumulated knowledge in given areas.