FINAL REQUIREMENT FOR DC 150 – INTRODUCTION TO

COMMUNICATION THEORY
RESEARCH PROPOSAL CAPSULE
Name: Denise Angela A. Costa
Course/Yr. Pampanga State Agricultural University - Research
Date: 2023
Research Question General

The general objective of this study is to examine the impact of

awkwardness when it comes to having a long-term relationship
and finally being able to meet their parents for the first time and
to identify the actions that they do in order to reduce that feeling
of awkwardness.

Socio-Demographic Profile:
Age:
Sex:
Relationship status:
How long have they been in a relationship:

General Research Question:

What are the perceptions of those people who are in a long-

term relationship in terms of awkwardness when it comes to
meeting their partner's parents for the first time , and what
actions do they do in order to reduce that awkwardness?

Specific
1. Does the negative or positive first impression of the partner's
parents increase the level of awkwardness?

2. What are the ways that the girlfriend/boyfriend do in order to

decrease the level of awkward?

3. Does this kind of awkward feeling affects the long-term

relationship of a couple?
4. Does this kind of situation affects the emotional aspect of a
couple?
5. What could be the possible outcomes of the situation if this
kind of uncertainty doesn't reduce?
Research Objective
Paradigm/Approach The researcher will use an objective approach as it will help the
researcher to examine and identify how couple handle and
reduce the feeling of awkwardness when meeting the parents
 happens for the first time by the use of the appropriate methods
to gather data.
Ontology Realism

The researcher perceived that the reality of this study is

physical and can be observable as it talks about the uncertainty
of one of the couples when it comes to meeting the parents for
the first time.
Epistemology Objectivism

The researcher comes to an understanding that by using an

observation and survey questions to gather data for this study ,
will help the researcher to determine how the impact of
uncertainty and feeling of awkwardness affects the perception
of those couple who meet their partner's parents for the first
time.
Communication Interpersonal Communication
Context
The focus of the researcher will be on the respondents that are
in a long-term relationship that experienced meeting his or her
partner's parents for the first time and to determine how did
they deal with the feeling of awkwardness and how did it impact
their perception in terms of feeling the uncertainty.

Communication Uncertainty Reduction Theory

Theory
Uncertainty Reduction Theory explains that we people do some
unexpected things in order to reduce the uncertain feeling of a
two person who only met for the first time , it is also a way to be
able to gain or to share basic information from them.

URT was created in the year 1975 by Charles 'Chuck' Berger

and Richard Calabrese, we're in this theory is more concerned
on how people communicate and how shared information will
be understood by the two people that communicates.

With the help of this theory , it will help the study to achieve it's
goal wherein it will know what couple things to do in order to
reduce the feeling of awkwardness when meeting the partner's
parents for the first time.And that it will also help the study to
determine the impact of this uncertainty to the perception of
those people that are in a long-term relationship.

As I,the researcher , will also be able to determine that the

spelling of awkwardness has an emotional impact to the couple
that are on a long-term relationship.
Methodology Quantitative

The researcher aims to achieve the goal of the study by using

quantitative research method , where in it will focus on the
perceptions of those who are in a long-term relationship in
terms of awkwardness and meeting the partner's parents for
the first time and will also determine of what couples do to
reduce the feeling of awkwardness in order for them to be able
to get to know one another . This will only be achieved by the
researcher if the data collection method that will be used are
appropriate for this study.

Methods A. Data Collection Tools

1. Survey Questionnaire
2. Interview
B. Target Respondents
1.Couples that are in a long-term relationship that
experienced meeting the partner's parents for the first
time.
References 1. Drew, V. S. a. P. R. B. C. (2023, September 28).
Uncertainty Reduction Theory: 10 Examples and
Definition (2023). Helpful Professor.
https://helpfulprofessor.com/uncertainty-reduction-
theory-examples/?
fbclid=IwAR1JceiT4HoTVv4lFvvpaAywzC7tSgut7TQ4_8
PymVl0UOGCn1MPiYpBfEY
2. Quantitative paradigm in research. (n.d.). PPT.
https://www.slideshare.net/zahraBayani/quantitative-
paradigm-in-research?
fbclid=IwAR1R9x0MAWMTll2z3VD3XD1OppnPnubKUG
uxyZdANajNx8NIWberch8WrHo
3. Zeeman, A. (2022b). Uncertainty Reduction Theory:
Examples and definition. Toolshero.
https://www.toolshero.com/communication-methods/unc
ertainty-reduction-theory/?
fbclid=IwAR2MD74fa1AIgXwA3FyS-UUmTcG6HKzr-
yC27QgDgOFoNfceUDkmRIxymYM
4. Subject and Course Guides: Quantitative and Qualitative
Research: What is Quantitative Research? (n.d.).
https://libguides.uta.edu/quantitative_and_qualitative_res
earch/quant?
fbclid=IwAR2PNMKyGTt5RGcobn4tx3EUJyLtbeF70aUK
7UJ9SeyL9Uk4Cq4iOdjQ3Y0#:~:text=Quantitative
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%20the%20sample%20population