Deck 4: Making Sense of Our World

Question 1

Uncertainty reduction theory predicts that people reduce uncertainty by:

A) observing others.
B) manipulating the social environment.
C) asking questions.
D) all of the above.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

In a series of studies cited in the textbook, researchers had people interact for up to16 minutes and found that uncertainty did not decrease significantly after the first __________ minutes of interaction.

A) 14
B) 10
C) 6
D) 2

Answer 2

D

Question 3

The dialectical perspective on uncertainty is best characterized by which of the following statements?

A) Individuals will only continue to interact so long as their partner provides positive outcome value.
B) People react in predictable ways when they experience expectancy violations.
C) As uncertainty increases, attraction decreases.
D) We want both certainty and uncertainty in our relationships.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

With which of the following individuals do most people usually have high incentive value for reducing uncertainty?

A) boss
B) potential romantic partner
C) disliked person who cannot be avoided
D) all of the above

Question 5

Jaime recently began dating after exiting a long-term relationship. However, first dates have been particularly difficult because Jaime perceives an overwhelming amount of uncertainty about the other person's hopes and expectations. How would you best characterize Jaime's personality in terms of uncertainty orientation?

A) certainty oriented
B) uncertainty oriented
C) extroverted
D) intuitive

Question 6

According to predicted outcome value theory, people are likely to seek more information when they:

A) want to reduce uncertainty
B) predict that future interactions with a person will be rewarding.
C) are unlikely to have many future interactions.
D) want to make an especially good impression.

Question 7

Paul jokingly asks his wife if she'd like to have five children. If Paul's comment is designed to see if his wife really might consider having five children, his comment would be classified as the secret test called:

A) third-party test
B) public presentation test
C) indirect suggestion test
D) triangle test

Question 8

Baxter and Wilmot's (1985) research on secret tests shows that the majority of our uncertainty reduction techniques in early stages of relationships are:

A) direct.
B) indirect.
C) interactive.
D) unsuccessful.

Question 9

During a party for a mutual friend, Mike spots Alex. Mike observes that Alex does not have any people around her who seem to be romantic partners, she is a college student like himself, and she appears to be relatively outgoing. He has the host of the party casually ask if she's met his friend Mike. After Mike sees Alex smile at him, he approaches her and begins to make small talk. Mike's uncertainty reduction strategies are best described as:

A) passive.
B) active.
C) interactive.
D) all of the above.

Question 10

If you have a low level of uncertainty about someone, this means that you:

A) trust the person.
B) consider the person to be a good friend.
C) tend to make more positive attributions than negative attributions about her or his behavior.
D) are confident about being able to predict and explain this person's behavior.

Question 11

The first and most central principle of uncertainty reduction theory is that:

A) people are motivated to seek information in an effort to reduce uncertainty, especially during initial encounters with others.
B) people can reduce uncertainty using passive, active, or interactive strategies.
C) as uncertainty decreases, attraction increases.
D) as relationships become more established, people become more likely to use secret tests to reduce uncertainty.

Question 12

Which of the following strategies would be classified as active according to uncertainty reduction theory?

A) asking a friend to find out if someone you are interested in is already dating someone else
B) asking someone out on a date
C) unobtrusively observing someone at a party
E) both a and b

Question 13

The goal of expectancy violations theory is to predict and explain:

A) how people reduce uncertainty about others.
B) self-monitoring in uncertain and unexpected situations.
C) when people will self-disclose in interpersonal encounters.
D) how people react when they encounter atypical behavior.

Question 14

According to the theory of motivated information management, ________________________ affects how people seek information to reduce uncertainty.

A) outcome expectancies
B) efficacy assessments
C) relationship characteristics
D) both a and b

Question 15

In the scenario above, the fact that your housemate has not left his dirty socks on the floor is a much better scene than you expected to find. In this case, you would have experienced a(n) _________________ expectancy violation.

A) positive
B) negative
C) interpersonal
D) uncertainty

Question 16

Jana is engaged to her boyfriend, Matt, whom she suspects is very flirtatious. To reduce her uncertainty about her fiancé and to see if he is the "right one" for her, she types up an anonymous letter asking Matt to meet at a certain place and time, and she signs it, "your secret admirer." Jana believes that her uncertainty will be reduced by seeing if Matt tells her about the letter and/or if he shows up at the fictitious meeting. Jana's uncertainty reduction strategy is best categorized as

A) third-party test
B) public presentation test
C) indirect suggestion test
D) triangle test

Question 17

On a normal basis you come home from school and find your housemate's socks on the floor. One day, however, you come home and find the floor free of socks. Which of the following types of expectancies have been violated?

A) certainty
B) predictive
C) prescriptive
D) social normative

Question 18

If you had a good romantic relationship but were interested in making it even more satisfying, which of the following would expectancy violations theory predict would most effectively help you accomplish your goals?

A) remaining consistent and predictable in your behaviors over time
B) persuading your partner that "less is more"
C) doing things that your partner would think were positive expectancy violations
D) doing things that your partner would think were negative expectancy violations

Question 19

If you did not get along very well with your boss but wanted to "patch things up," which of the following acts does expectancy violations theory predict would yield you the best response?

A) immediately starting to ask her out to lunch, bring her coffee, and do small favors for her every day
B) trying to win favor with her circle of friends
C) explaining to your boss how much better you are than all of your coworkers to gain her respect
D) remaining civil and polite and gradually becoming more friendly over time

Question 20

The turbulence model suggests that people experience the most uncertainty:

A) in the initial stages of a relationship.
B) when they are in the process of moving their relationship from casual to committed.
C) when they are in a long-distance relationship.
D) after their first big fight.

Question 21

Engaging in direct communication, such as asking the person questions online, is referred to as an extractive strategy.

Question 22

Discuss if uncertainty is generally dislike in human communication versus a dialectical perspective on uncertainty.

Question 23

Because there are fewer nonverbal cues in online communication, people have a greater need for uncertainty reduction online than face to face.

Question 24

As relationships become more established, people are more likely to use secret tests to reduce uncertainty.

Question 25

Uncertainty avoidant countries tend to be Catholic.

Question 26

Uncertainty management theory has rarely been used in health communication research.

Question 27

The dialectical perspective on uncertainty reduction suggests that e are always uncertain about people with strange dialects.

Question 28

High uncertainty avoidant countries tend to be higher on neuroticism.

Question 29

Which strategy is classified as active according to uncertainty reduction theory?

A) sending yourself a gift and/or flowers to see how your significant other will react
B) asking a friend to find out if someone you are interested in is already dating someone else
C) Observing if the arrive at a party with a date
D) A & B

Question 30

Uncertainty reduction is just as important when people are communicating on line as when they are communicating face to face

Question 31

Discuss the role of "secret tests" in close relationships. Select five secret tests and briefly discuss that advantage and disadvantages of each strategy.

Question 32

What is the position of uncertainty management theory in health communication ight uncertainty vary depended on the circumstances?

Question 33

The primary premise underlying the original uncertainty reduction theory was that people generally dislike uncertainty, and are therefore motivated to reduce it.

Question 34

Low uncertainty occurs when people feel confident in their ability to predict and explain someone's behavior.

Question 35

Dating and women's sexual behavior are tightly controlled in uncertainty avoidant countries.

Question 36

Which of the following is an uncertainty avoidance country?

A) Greece
B) Denmark
C) Canada
D) New Zealand

Question 37

In interpersonal communication which is not one of the three basic types of uncertainty discussed in the book.

A) communication uncertainty
B) self-uncertainty
C) partner uncertainty
D) relationship uncertainty
True False

Question 38

Which online uncertainty reduction strategy is most commonly in online dating sites such as eHarmony or match.com?

A) lurking
B) extractive
C) interactive
D) stalking

Question 39

What countries are highly uncertainty avoidant are the located o these countries have poor tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity?

Question 40

Discuss how online communication has change uncertainty reduction strategies in romantic relationships. Discuss both similarities and differences in uncertainty reduction between face to face and online communication.

Question 41

How has the original uncertainty-reduction strategy been modified these modifications strengthened or weakened the original theory?