Uncertainty reduction in close relationships

Kimberly J. M. Downs, “Family Commitment Role Perceptions, Social Support, and Mutual Children in Remarriage: A Test of Uncertainty Reduction Theory,” Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, Vol. 40, 2004, pp. 35-54.

Jennifer L. Gibbs, Nicole B. Ellison, and Chih-Hui Lai, “First Comes Love, Then Comes Google: An Investigation of Uncertainty Reduction Strategies and Self-disclosure in Online Dating,” Communication Research, Vol. 38, 2011, pp. 70-100.

Carey M. Noland, “Negotiating Desire and Uncertainty on Tinder During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for the Transformation of Sexual Health Communication,” CyberPsychology, Behavior & Social Networking, Vol. 24, 2021, pp. 488–92.

Andréanne Plamondon and Grzela, Mylène Lachance. “What If They Are Right? Network Approval, Expectations, and Relationship Maintenance Behaviors,” Personal Relationships, Vol. 25 (2), 2018, pp. 190–204

Relational Turbulence Theory

As alluded to in the chapter, there is an explosion of research on relational turbulence in recent years. Just a sampling of some of those projects includes: 

Natalie K. Ellis and Andrew M. Ledbetter, “Why Might Distance Make the Heart Grow Fonder?: A Relational Turbulence Model Investigation of the Maintenance of Long Distance and Geographically Close Romantic Relationships,” Communication Quarterly, Vol. 63, 2015, pp. 568-585.

Leanne K. Knobloch, Lynne M. Knobloch-Fedders, Jeremy B. Yorgason, Aaron T. Ebata, and Patricia C. McGlaughlin, “Military Children’s Difficulty with Reintegration After Deployment: A Relational Turbulence Model Perspective,” Journal of Family Psychology, Vol. 31, 2017, pp. 542-552.

Denise H. Solomon, Leanne K. Knobloch, Jennifer A. Theiss, and Rachel M. McLaren, “Relational Turbulence Theory: Explaining Variation in Subjective Experiences and Communication Within Romantic Relationships,” Human Communication Research, Vol. 42, 2016, pp. 507-532.

Uncertainty reduction in the digital age

Marjolijn L. Antheunis, Alexander P. Schouten, Patti M. Valkenburg, and Jochen Peter, “Interactive Uncertainty Reduction Strategies and Verbal Affection in Computer-mediated Communication,” Communication Research, Vol. 39, 2012, pp. 757-780.

Cédric Courtois, Anissa All, and Hadewijch Vanwynsberghe, “Social Network Profiles as Information Sources for Adolescents' Offline Relations,” CyberPsychology, Behavior & Social Networking, Vol. 15, 2012, pp. 290-295.

SeoYoung Lee and Junho Choi, “Enhancing User Experience with Conversational Agent for Movie Recommendation: Effects of Self-disclosure and Reciprocity,” International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, Vol. 103, 2017, pp. 95-105.

Leah E. LeFebvre, and Xiaoti Fan. “Ghosted?: Navigating Strategies for Reducing Uncertainty and Implications Surrounding Ambiguous Loss,” Personal Relationships, Vol. 27 (2), 2020, pp. 433–59.

Amy May and Kelly E. Tenzek, “Seeking Mrs. Right: Uncertainty Reduction in Online Surrogacy Ads,” Qualitative Research Reports in Communication, Vol. 12, 2011, pp. 27-33.

Cynthia Palmieri, Kristen Prestano, Rosalie Gandley, Emily Overton, and Qin Zhang,”The Facebook Phenomenon: Online Self-disclosure and Uncertainty Reduction,” China Media Research, Vol. 8, 2012, pp. 108-113.

Thomas R. Wagner, “When Off-Line Seeks Information Online: The Effect of Modality Switching and Time on Attributional Confidence and Social Attraction,” Communication Research Reports, Vol. 35 (4), 2018, pp. 346–55.

Ron Warren, and Lindsey Aloia.“Parental Mediation of Cell Phone Use and Adolescent Autonomy.” Journal of Family Issues, 2022, pp. 1.

Anxiety-Uncertainty Management Theory (AUM)

In previous editions, Griffin covered AUM in a separate chapter. That treatment is available on the website www.afirstlook..com, under the “Theory Archive.”

For some other articles applying AUMT and URT, see

Craig R. Hullett and Kim Witte, “Predicting Intercultural Adaptation and Isolation: Using the Extended Parallel Process Model to Test Anxiety/Uncertainty Management Theory,” International Journal Of Intercultural Relations, Vol. 25, 2001, pp. 125-139.

Ann Neville Miller and Jennifer A. Samp, “Planning Intercultural Interaction: Extending Anxiety/Uncertainty Management Theory,” Communication Research Reports, Vol. 24, 2007, pp. 87-95.

URT in the classroom

For some other teaching ideas, see

Marcia Alesan Dawkins, “How it's Done: Using Hitch as a Guide to Uncertainty Reduction Theory,” Communication Teacher, Vol. 24, 2010, pp. 136-141.

Yifeng Hu, “Hands-on Experience with Uncertainty Reduction Theory: An Effective and Engaging Classroom Activity,” Florida Communication Journal, Vol. 43, 2015, pp. 119-123.