Uncertainty Avoidance: Examples of High, Moderate and Low

Uncertainty avoidance describes a culture or society’s tolerance of unpredictable and unstructured situations, which informs social norms, business practices, and human behavior. The Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI) measures how different nations interpret the future, the unknown, and unpredictability. The UAI forms part of social scientist Geert Hofstede’s cultural dimensions model, which also analyzes nations’ individualism/collectivism, masculinity/femininity, power distance, and long-term orientation.

Uncertainty-avoidance characteristics vary, creating cultural diversity. The tiers of Geert Hofstede’s cultural avoidance dimension include:

• High uncertainty avoidance: High uncertainty avoidance cultures behave in strict manners and have less inclination toward change. Predictability is critical to success, and these cultures focus on systems over innovation. Per Hofstede, people with high uncertainty avoidance generally live in Germany, Italy, Belgium, Greece, Guatemala, Portugal, Mexico, Japan, and South Korea.
• Moderate uncertainty avoidance: This class has varying levels of uncertainty avoidance, with people respecting and utilizing systems while welcoming new ideas and questioning norms. People with moderate UAI combine high and low uncertainty avoidances and generally come from the United States and Canada.
• Low uncertainty avoidance: Low uncertainty avoidance cultures display greater ease when in unpredictable situations. They require as few rules as possible and they can approach change through adaptability, pragmaticism, and comfort. National cultures of lower uncertainty avoidance include Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Singapore, and Jamaica.

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