Chapter Ten

1. Chapter Ten Theories of Communication in Developing Relationships

2. Social Penetration Theory • Social Penetration Theory (SPT) developed in social psychology by Irwin Altman and Dalmas Taylor • SPT has been developed further by communication scholars • SPT is a post-positivist theory of the broad scope of relational development

3. Social Penetration Theory:Relational Stages • Orientation Stage: Interaction ruled by social convention and formulas • Exploratory Affective Stage: Interactants begin to share more information and are more relaxed and friendly • Affective Stage: Close friendships and romantic relationships in which a great deal of open exchange occurs • Stable Exchange Stage: Continuing openness and richness in interaction

4. Social Penetration Theory:Breadth and Depth of Exchange • As people move through these stages, both the breadth and depth of information exchange increase (“onion model” of SPT) • This process takes place through self-disclosure, a communication process that changes through relational development and is influenced by norms of reciprocity

5. Social Penetration Theory:Social Exchange Processes • The motivation to move in and out of relationships in SPT is described through Social Exchange Theory • Social Exchange Theory proposes that we evaluate relationships through an “economic” model that considers outcomes, comparison level (of past relationships) and comparison level of alternatives

6. SPT: Developments in the Communication Discipline • Concurrent with the development of SPT, theorists in communication were also considering relational development • Mark Knapp considered communication implications SPT • Gerald Miller and Mark Steinberg considered influence of information, predictions, and trust on relationships

7. SPT: Development and Tests of Theory • There is support for many predictions of SPT (e.g., regarding self-disclosure) • It has been difficult to test full range of theory over development of “real-life” relationships • SPT has also been criticized for being an overly rational and economic model of relational development

8. Uncertainty Reduction Theory • Uncertainty Reduction Theory (URT) developed by Charles Berger and colleagues • URT attempts to explain processes of initial interaction • URT considers ways in which interactants attempt to reduce cognitive uncertainty when we first interact with someone

9. Uncertainty Reduction Theory:Form of the Theory • URT is an axiomatic theory • URT begins with seven basic axioms about uncertainty in interaction. These are not unquestioned truths, but are the building blocks of the theory • URT then logically combines these axioms to derive 21 testable theorems

10. Uncertainty Reduction Theory:Developments • URT has been extended to consider strategies for reducing uncertainty. These include active (asking another), interactive, and passive strategies (reactivity or disinhibition search) • URT has been extended to consider motivations for reducing uncertainty. These include incentives, deviation, and possibility of future interaction

11. Uncertainty Reduction Theory:Tests and Critiques • URT has received some evidence for both basic predictions and extensions regarding information search and motivations • URT has been critiqued in terms of the motivational force that drives information seeking. Critics contend that anticipating future interaction is more important than uncertainty reduction

12. Uncertainty Reduction Theory:Expansions • URT has been expanded to consider relationships beyond initial interaction • URT has been expanded to consider uncertainty management in intercultural relationships • The uncertainty concept has also been applied to research in organizational socialization and social support