Uncertainty reduction and predictability of behavior in low?and high?context cultures: An exploratory study

Abstract

This paper presents an exploratory comparison of two aspects of initial interactions in low‐and high‐context cultures—the types of questions used to reduce uncertainty and the degree of attributional confidence based upon background information. Results of the study indicate that people in high‐context cultures are more cautious in initial interactions and have a greater tendency to make assumptions based upon a stranger's cultural background than do people in low‐context cultures. People in high‐context cultures also ask more questions about a stranger's background, however, this information does not provide a greater degree of predictive certainty with respect to a stranger's future behavior. These results are discussed in terms of their implications for uncertainty reduction theory and Hall's conceptualization of high‐ and low‐context cultures.