[00:00.000]Communication with strangers involves relatively greater degrees of uncertainty,[00:05.444]due to the difficulty in predicting a stranger's responses.[00:09.055]We experience uncertainty with regard to the stranger's attitudes, feelings and beliefs.[00:15.541]We are also uncertain of how to explain the stranger's behavior.[00:19.734]Motivation to reduce this uncertainty is more acute[00:23.303]when we expect to have further interactions with the stranger,[00:26.883]or when they are a potential source of benefit.[00:30.129]We may reduce our uncertainty and increase the accuracy of our predictions[00:35.833]by gaining more information about the stranger.[00:38.589]There are three basic strategies for gathering such information.[00:42.520]One may passively observe the stranger.[00:45.293]One may actively seek out information from other friends of the stranger,[00:50.067]or from books.[00:51.524]Finally,[00:52.897]one may seek information directly from the stranger[00:56.006]by interacting with them and asking questions.[00:59.116]Also,[01:00.992]offering information about oneself[01:03.568]often prompts reciprocal offerings from another.[01:07.776]The increased uncertainty in interactions with strangers[01:12.118]is accompanied by higher levels of anxiety,[01:14.865]as we anticipate a wider array of possible negative outcomes.[01:19.216]We may worry about damage to our self-esteem[01:22.485]from feeling confused and out of control.