Forms of uncertainty reduction : decision, valuation, and contest

• Uncertainty is an intriguing aspect of social life. Uncertainty is epistemic,future-oriented, and implies that we can neither predict nor foresee what will happenwhen acting. In cases in which no institutionalized certainty about future states exists,or can be generated, judgment is needed. This article presents the forms by whichuncertainty is reduced as a result of judgments made about different alternatives in aprocess involving several actors. This type of uncertainty may exist, for example, aboutwhich artist is the best, which offer in the market is more valuable, which football teamis better than all the rest, or which research proposal will get a grant. The result ofdifferent forms of uncertainty reduction is increased certainty concerning alternatives inrelation to one another, such as good and bad, rank lists, scores, quality assessment, andBwinner and losers.^ Based on the result, uncertainty is reduced and action is facilitated.The forms are structural and comprise roles; may be legitimate in a smaller or largerdomain; and may exist in all spheres of life, as exemplified in sports competitions, inlabor markets, and in the ranking of universities. Three forms of uncertainty reductionbased on judgment are identified in this article: (1) decision, made by an authority; (2)valuation, by means of which order arises as a result of actors ascribing values; and (3)contest, by which an order is the result of direct struggle.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Sociologi -- Sociologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Sociology -- Sociology (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Matematik -- Sannolikhetsteori och statistik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Mathematics -- Probability Theory and Statistics (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Uncertainty

value

market

Sociologi

Sociology

Sociologi

Sociology

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