What is Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI)?

Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI) is how people feel when they don’t know what will happen next, and whether they like it or not.

Imagine you're about to go on a fun ride at the fair, but you don’t know if it’ll be smooth sailing or a wild rollercoaster. Some kids get super excited and can't wait to jump in! They love the surprise. These are people with low Uncertainty Avoidance, they enjoy not knowing what's coming.

But other kids might feel nervous or even scared. They’d rather know exactly what’s going on before they start. Maybe they want a map, or a list of steps, or someone to tell them it’ll be okay. These are people with high Uncertainty Avoidance, they prefer things to be clear and safe.

Think about the playground: some kids make up new games every day. Others stick to their favorite one, because they know how it works. High UAI kids are like those who stick to what they know, it feels safer. Low UAI kids are like the ones who try something brand new, it's more exciting!

So, Uncertainty Avoidance is just about how much people like surprises, or how much they want things to stay the same.