Uncertainty avoidance is defined as a society's tolerance for ambiguity. Which option best describes this concept?

• A. The degree to which a society values tradition
• B. The degree to which a society tolerates ambiguity
• C. The degree to which a society emphasizes competitiveness
• D. The degree to which a society centralizes authority

Answer: (B)

Uncertainty avoidance centers on how comfortable a culture is with ambiguity and unstructured situations. The best description is the one that states a society’s tolerance for ambiguity. When a culture has high uncertainty avoidance, people prefer clear rules, formal procedures, and risk-averse behaviors because ambiguity feels threatening. In contrast, low uncertainty avoidance means people are more comfortable with ambiguity, open to change, and less bound by rigid rules. The other statements point to different cultural characteristics—tradition emphasizes tradition, competitiveness relates to achievement-driven or masculine traits, and centralized authority reflects power distance. So the description focusing on tolerance of ambiguity directly captures what uncertainty avoidance measures.