Anxiety, uncertainty, and perceived effectiveness of communication across relationships and cultures

Abstract Anxiety/uncertainty management (AUM) theory suggests that effectiveness of communication is a function of individuals’ abilities to manage their uncertainty and anxiety. The effect of anxiety and uncertainty on perceived effectiveness of communication was examined in two relationships (strangers and close friends) and two cultures (United States and Japan) in the present study. The results indicate that there is a moderate, negative relationship between anxiety and attributional confidence (the inverse of uncertainty) across relationships and cultures. The results also reveal that anxiety negatively predicts perceived effectiveness and attributional confidence positively predicts perceived effectiveness across relationships and cultures. The present data, therefore, support the major axiom of AUM theory.

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