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

Anxiety/uncertainty management (AUM) theory suggests that effectiveness com munication is a function of individuals' abilities to manage their uncertai nty and anxiety. The effect of anxiety and uncertainty on perceived effecti veness of communication was examined in two relationships (strangers and cl ose friends) and two cultures (United States and Japan) in the present stud y. The results indicate that there is a moderate, negative relationship bet ween anxiety and attributional confidence (the inverse of uncertainty) acro ss relationships and cultures. The results also reveal that anxiety negativ ely predicts perceived effectiveness and attributional confidence positivel y predicts perceived effectiveness across relationships and cultures. The p resent data, therefore, support the major axiom of AUM theory. (C) 2001 Els evier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.