Anxiety/uncertainty management

Anxiety/uncertainty management (AUM) theory explores how individuals manage anxiety and uncertainty when interacting with people from different cultural backgrounds. Developed by William B. Gudykunst, AUM theory posits that effective intercultural communication depends on reducing these feelings of anxiety and uncertainty. Building upon the foundation of uncertainty reduction theory (URT), which was introduced by Berger and Calabrese, AUM theory examines how individuals navigate the complexities of intercultural encounters, particularly with strangers. As a communication theory, AUM continues to evolve based on observations of human behavior in social situations.