Uncertainty Reduction Theory Research Articles

A Semiotic Reading of Digital Avatars and Their Role of Uncertainty Reduction in Digital Communication

This study tries to explain the role of digital avatars for communication in two distinct ways. In the first part it debates what kinds of meanings avatars have for their users. To answer this question based on semiotic theories of Saussure and Lacan, a new approach will be proposed. Saussure’s theory of signs and Lacan’s theory of chain of signifiers as an entry for self, will be merged to form a new viewpoint. In the second part, the role of avatars in the digital communication for the receivers will be approached by Berger’s uncertainty reduction theory.

English

This paper aims to propose a conceptual model to investigate the determinants of review helpfulness for movie reviews based on uncertainty reduction theory and review quality framework. Model of customer review helpfulness is built based on review quality framework. Movie reviews from IMDB (http://imdb.com) are collected. The proposed hypotheses are tested with logistic and multiple linear regressions. The results show that review extremity, review length, review timeliness, and review reputation have significant effects on the helpfulness of movie review. In addition, in extreme reviews, positive reviews are more helpful to customers than negative reviews. This study provides an in-depth understanding of what makes movie reviews helpful for customers. The findings have implications for research on information quality in electronic commerce, and provide online retailers with suggestions for developing reviews guidelines and designing recommendation system. Key words: Online review, review helpfulness, movie review, uncertainty reduction theory.

Counting on Friends: Cues to Perceived Trustworthiness in Facebook Profiles

Personal profiles on social network sites have become an important tool for social evaluation – that is, assessing profile owners’ characteristics (e.g., personality traits, narcissism, physical and social attractiveness). The present study is one of the first to examine how users’ trustworthiness is evaluated by naïve observers based on information contained in Facebook profiles, or profile cues. Drawing on uncertainty reduction theory, warranting theory, and hardwired perceptions of facial displays, we propose a framework that identifies cues associated with trustworthiness in Facebook profiles. Results show that six profile cues (number of friends, number of tagged photographs, number of “about me” categories filled out, number of comments and “likes” received from friends, and smiling profile photographs) explained about a third of the variance in Facebook users’ perceived trustworthiness. Number of friends had a curvilinear, U-shaped effect on trustworthiness perceptions, with an inflection point at about 500 friends. That is, trustworthiness decreased as number of friends increased up to 500, and then trustworthiness increased as number of friends increased beyond 500. Theoretical and design implications of the findings are discussed.

Universities and Corporate Social Responsibility Performance: An Implosion of the Reality

The paper examines the need for universities to carry out corporate social responsibility programmes. Two theories were used as theoretical framework for the study (stakeholder’s theory and uncertainty reduction theory). The qualitative research method was used as the research method while personal interview was used to gather data from the respondents. The population was made up of members of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Plateau State Chapter. Ten public relations practitioners were interviewed on the need for universities to carry out corporate social responsibility programmes. Responses from the interview show that universities ought to be socially responsible to their stakeholders. Findings further show that CSR helps organisations, including universities to improve on their image. Findings also show that there are various areas of CSR universities can pay attention to; these areas are: economic responsibility, philanthropic responsibility, environmental responsibility, employee wellness and health, employment of qualified lecturers and legal responsibility. The paper therefore concludes that universities in the world over need to always engage in corporate social responsibility so that they can win the goodwill of their stakeholders. Based on the conclusion therefore, the study recommends that universities should endeavour to be social responsible, if they want to win the goodwill of their stakeholders and should endeavour to communicate their corporate social responsibility programmes to the stakeholders so that the stakeholders will understand them. Key words: Universities, corporate social responsibility, performance and goodwill

Adjusting to new work teams: Testing work experience as a multidimensional resource for newcomers

Summary The successful performance adjustment of team newcomers is an increasingly important consideration given the prevalence of job-changing and the uncertainty associated with starting work in a new team setting. Consequently, using sensemaking and uncertainty reduction theories as a conceptual basis, the present study tested work experience as a potential resource for newcomer performance adjustment in teams. Specifically, we tested work experience as a multidimensional predictor of both initial newcomer performance and the rate of performance change after team entry. We tested hypotheses using longitudinal newcomer performance data in the context of professional basketball teams. Although the traditional quantitative indicators of the length and amount of work experience were not meaningfully associated with newcomer performance adjustment, their interaction was. In addition, the qualitative indicator of newcomers' past transition experience revealed a significant, positive association with the rate of newcomer performance improvement following team entry. These results suggest that work experience is a meaningful facilitator of newcomer adjustment in teams and emphasize the dual consideration of both quantitative and qualitative work experiences. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

From Virtual Travelers to Real Friends: Relationship Building Insights from an Online Travel Community

The growing trend of online travel communities connects travelers world-wide; this study addresses whether or not these relationships lead to offline interactions. The theoretical framework reflects cue utilization theory, social balance theory, and uncertainty reduction theory. A field experiment examines responses from 293 travel community members. Results show individual reputation, online communication, and perceived similarity among travelers play significant roles in offline relationships. Trust and sympathy among community members mediate this decision process. Study results offer several managerial implications and highlight the importance of vivid and complete participation profile in social media. Moreover, finding the right tone for effective communication in online communities is critical.

Repatriation: Furthering the Research Agenda through the Lens of Commitment, Uncertainty Reduction and Social Cognitive Career Theories

There is extensive evidence that repatriation of international assignees is not always successful. High turnover amongst repatriating staff within two years of an assignment is regularly reported to be double the expected turnover rate of non expatriated employees. Previous research has linked turnover to dissatisfaction of the repatriation process. The purpose of this paper is to extend existing knowledge through the examination of three theories; uncertainty reduction, commitment and social cognitive theories whilst considering the influence of HRM. The paper derives assumptions based on extending existing theoretical foundations to consider HRM upon the repatriation experience.

Effect of time and relationships on victim–offender dialogue completion in felony cases

Victim–offender dialogues (VODs) often take place in organizational contexts, the stakeholders of which may very well be interested in measures of program effectiveness such as completion rates. When reported, completion rates typically ranged from 40 to 60%. At the time of this study, Ohio’s VOD program was completing just 25% of initiated cases and program stakeholders were unsure as to the cause(s). An archived data analysis was performed on a sample (n = 212) of the Office of Victim Services (OVS) completed and will-not-proceed files. One hypothesis and two research questions make use of archived data to explore this felony VOD context. The amount of time between the date the crime occurred and the date on which the dialogue file was initiated was not a significant predictor of dialogue completion. However, both victim-offender’s pre-crime relationship and dialogue file initiator were found to significantly impact dialogue completion rates. These results are considered in light of social exchange and uncertainty reduction theories.

Communicating One's Way to Employment: A Case Study of African Settlers in Brisbane, Australia

This paper reports findings of an Australian study on cross-cultural communication and employment of several African birthplace groups of former refugees. The study was conducted in the greater Brisbane area in 2009–10 and collected both quantitative (based on a short questionnaire) and qualitative (based on 12 focus groups) data. Drawing on the uncertainty reduction theory (URT), the segmented labour market theory (SLMT) and Bourdieu's concepts of linguistic and cultural capital, the paper focuses on cross-cultural communication aspects of job search (particularly the job interview situation), the workplace (communication with supervisors and co-workers) and overcoming linguistic and cultural obstacles in building bridging social networks. Existing power relations that structure the communication process, especially the ‘symbolic power’ aspect of Australian ethnic relations, are the context of our analysis. We also report on gender differences that additionally structure these processes in the job search and workplace contexts.

A taxonomy of expatriate leaders' cross-cultural uncertainty: insights into the leader–employee dyad

The authors develop a theory-based taxonomy of expatriate leaders' cross-cultural uncertainty toward local employees by drawing on uncertainty reduction theory. Two studies with expatriate leaders provide the empirical basis. The first, qualitative study uses in-depth interviews with 23 expatriate leaders to identify major facets and constructs for describing expatriate leaders in different uncertainty constellations. A quantitative survey-based study with dyadic data about 149 expatriate leaders and their local employees identifies five different expatriate types with regard to their cross-cultural uncertainty. The results reveal performance differences across the five expatriate types.

Is This How I Will Be Treated? Reducing Uncertainty through Recruitment Interactions

While a great deal of research has investigated strategies for increasing job seekers' initial attraction to organizations, far less is known about how job seekers respond to recruitment activities after application submission. We draw from signaling, uncertainty reduction, and uncertainty management theories to develop a conceptual model of the relationship between recruitment interactions (contact episodes) after application submission and organizational attraction. We test this model in three independent studies with data collected at multiple time periods. Study 1 employed a time-lagged research design with actual job seekers. Findings showed that justice perceptions associated with recruitment interactions influence attraction to an organization indirectly and directly via positive relational certainty (i.e., reduced uncertainty regarding how organizational relations might be upon entering the organization). Study 2 used a controlled experimental design to provide additional evidence of the relational certainty mechanism through which justice signals influence attraction. Finally, Study 3 incorporated a longitudinal (repeated-measures) design to examine reactions to recruitment interactions over ten weeks. Results indicated that the relationship between justice signals and organizational attraction via positive relational certainty is dynamic, suggesting that organizations should carefully manage their communications throughout the recruitment process.

Is This How I Will Be Treated? Reducing Uncertainty Through Recruitment Interactions

While a great deal of research has investigated strategies for increasing job seekers’ initial attraction to organizations, far less is known about how job seekers respond to recruitment activities after application submission. We draw from signaling, justice, and uncertainty reduction theories to develop a conceptual model of the relationship between recruitment interactions (contact episodes) after application submission and organizational attraction. To test this model, we employed a longitudinal (repeated measures) design to examine reactions to recruitment interactions across 10 weeks. Findings indicate that justice perceptions associated with recruitment interactions influence organizational attraction indirectly and directly via increased certainty about being treated well as an employee. Additionally, results indicate that the relationship between justice signals and organizational attraction via certainty about being treated well is dynamic in nature, suggesting that organizations should carefully manage their communications throughout the recruitment process.

Consumer perceptions of online consumer product and service reviews

PurposeOnline consumer reviews play an important role in influencing consumers' purchasing decisions by providing a wealth of information about products and services. Framed by uncertainty reduction theory, the purpose of this paper is to examine consumer perceptions of online consumer reviews and effects on consumer attitudes and usage behaviors in relation to individual characteristics.Design/methodology/approachData were randomly collected from 1,930 US online consumer review users using an online survey.FindingsThe researchers found that consumers perceived both benefits and costs from online consumer reviews and that both benefits and costs influenced consumer attitudes toward, and usage behaviors of, online consumer reviews. Individual characteristics – confidence in the information process and consumer susceptibility to interpersonal influence – were shown to determine how online consumer reviews were perceived.Originality/valueThe results provide insight to retailers and marketers as to how they can use consumer reviews for their products or services to improve business performance.

Linking Feedback Quality and Goal Orientation to Feedback Seeking and Job Performance

Contemporary feedback researchers have adopted theoretical perspectives in which personal characteristics interact with aspects of the feedback environment to influence feedback-related perceptions, feedback seeking, and job performance. To test these assertions, this study incorporates implicit person theory, uncertainty reduction theory, and Korman's theory of work motivation (2001) to develop a model that links a critical aspect of the feedback environment (feedback quality) and goal orientation to perceptions of feedback utility, feedback seeking, role clarity, and task performance and organizational citizenship behaviors. Results from supervisor–subordinate dyadic data (N = 202) obtained from employed students largely support the hypothesized model. Implications are discussed.

Factors affecting consumers' trust in online product reviews

ABSTRACTIn this study, we apply the uncertainty reduction theory from communication to delineate the antecedents of consumers' trust in online product reviews. We test the competing effects of information content (argument quality) and social component (perceived background similarity) on consumers' trust in reviews. We also hypothesize that the strength of the effect is moderated by consumers' involvement. To test the hypotheses, we adopted a 2 × 2 × 2 repeated measures experimental design. The results show that both argument quality and perceived similarity contribute to increased trust but in varying degrees. The results provide mixed support to the moderating role of involvement. While argument quality played an important role in the high involvement mode, perceived similarity explained more variance in the low involvement mode. We discuss the implications of these results for both research and practice.Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Uncertainty, trust and purchase intention based on online product reviews: an introduction to a multinational study

In this study, we apply the uncertainty reduction theory of communication and espoused national culture theory to identify the antecedents of consumers' trust in online product recommendations. We hypothesise that online reviews have both an informational component and a social component that have varying effects on consumers' trust. We further theorise that cultural differences in dimensions such as uncertainty avoidance and collectivism moderate the effect of informational and social components on trust. To test the hypotheses, we adopt a 2 × 2 repeated measures experimental design. The research framework and experimental design are discussed in detail. We intend to test the framework on student populations from the USA and China. Results can shed light on the informational and social dynamics of online reviews, and help practitioners develop robust online recommendation systems that have multinational appeal. Findings of this study promise to carry substantial implications for marketers and commercial website designers interested in taking advantage of the recent trend toward globalisation of consumer marketplaces, and the resultant cultural heterogeneity of consumers.

The Relationships between Motivations of Intergroup Differentiation as a Function of Different Dimensions of Social Identity

This article aims to classify social identity-based theories of intergroup differentiation in terms of different dimensions of social identity to understand further the motivational bases of intergroup differentiation. For this purpose, I attempt to incorporate three lines of research in social psychology: (a) theories examining intergroup differentiation as a function of social identity, namely social identity theory and SCT; (b) studies suggesting social identity as a multidimensional construct; and (c) motivational theories of intergroup differentiation, namely subjective uncertainty reduction theory, optimal distinctiveness theory, and self-esteem hypothesis. It is suggested that subjective uncertainty reduction theory explains motivational basis of cognitive dimension, that optimal distinctiveness theory explains motivational basis of emotional dimension, and that self-esteem hypothesis explains motivational basis of evaluative dimension of social identity. Finally, the relationships between motivations of intergroup differentiation as a function of different dimensions of social identity are considered.

From Explanation to Application

Uncertainty Reduction Theory is used to illustrate some advantages of predicating applied research on theory rather than merely alluding to theory as window dressing or invoking theory in a post hoc, speculative attempt to explain the outcomes of applied research efforts.

Rapidly Recognizing Relationships: Observing Speed Dating in the South

In today's fast-paced society, speed dating is becoming prevalent as a method of meeting potential partners for an intimate interpersonal relationship. At each event, participants can meet at least 6 potential partners, and quickly determine whether there is a connection that may lead to additional meetings. Through observations of the speed dates, 2 primary themes were established. Participants unconsciously progress through 3 phases of Berger and Calabrese's Uncertainty Reduction Theory gauging compatibility. Second, female participants passively assess the potential relationship, as males tend to dominate the situation. Through further observation and study, researchers can validate these “thin slices” as an effective method of meeting potential partners and developing intimate relationships.

First Comes Love, Then Comes Google: An Investigation of Uncertainty Reduction Strategies and Self-Disclosure in Online Dating

This study investigates relationships between privacy concerns, uncertainty reduction behaviors, and self-disclosure among online dating participants, drawing on uncertainty reduction theory and the warranting principle. The authors propose a conceptual model integrating privacy concerns, self-efficacy, and Internet experience with uncertainty reduction strategies and amount of self-disclosure and then test this model on a nationwide sample of online dating participants ( N = 562). The study findings confirm that the frequency of use of uncertainty reduction strategies is predicted by three sets of online dating concerns—personal security, misrepresentation, and recognition—as well as self-efficacy in online dating. Furthermore, the frequency of uncertainty reduction strategies mediates the relationship between these variables and amount of self-disclosure with potential online dating partners. The authors explore the theoretical implications of these findings for our understanding of uncertainty reduction, warranting, and self-disclosure processes in online contexts.