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Problematic Integration Theory

Problematic integration (PI) theory is an attempt to illuminate the process of sense-making in situations that defy easy understanding. Introduced in 1992 and developed by Austin Babrow and his colleagues, the theory adds several distinctive claims to more widely held propositions about how humans make sense of their experience. Although PI theory is a general perspective on communication in difficult situations, many applications have been made in the area of health communication. Over time, as well, the framework is making its way into both general reviews of theory and applications to an ever broader range of phenomena. A brief review of the theory's central ideas illustrates its reach.

Probabilistic Orientations, Evaluative Orientations, and Integration

PI theory holds that all meaning is associational: Human beings make sense of, find meaning in, or understand the world of things, people, events, ideas, and so on by associating these objects in their minds with various characteristics, causes, effects, and so on. People form these associations with varying levels of certainty. Some are seen as doubtful, some as possible, and some as probable or even certain. Thus, the theory terms such associations probabilistic orientations. Moreover, the theory holds that meaning is also evaluative. All perceived associations are evaluated in terms of their implications for well-being; these meanings are termed evaluative orientations. These two forms of meaning—probabilistic and evaluative orientations—are recognized not only in classical and contemporary rhetorical and communication theory, but across the humanities and social sciences.

PI theory begins to diverge from other perspectives in claiming that probabilistic and evaluative orientations are integrated in sense-making. In part, this means that probabilistic and evaluative orientations influence one another; what one believes to be true influences whether one evaluates that knowledge as good or bad, and vice versa. For example, finding out that one has a particular disease may influence his or her evaluation of that condition. The opposite might also be true: One's evaluation of a disease can influence the degree to which the person thinks she or he might actually have it. People also integrate probabilistic and evaluative orientations to any one object of thought with surrounding beliefs, values, intentions, and ongoing behavior. To continue the preceding example, learning that one has a particular health condition influences thought and action related to diet, work and leisure activities, relationships, and sense of self.

Problematic Integration

Whereas many other theories focus on probabilistic and evaluative orientations and some examine their integration, PI theory is distinct in its emphasis on common dilemmas that arise in efforts to make sense of the world and one's experience of it. More specifically, the theory posits several major forms of integrative difficulties, or challenges to deciding what something means. The most frequently noted of these is uncertainty, which the theory defines as troubled association: elusive, unstable, or otherwise doubtful. The theory further differentiates between ontological and epistemological uncertainties. Ontological uncertainties arise in conceptions of the nature of the world, such as the enormous diversity of life, complexity of causal structures, or play of random influences on events. By contrast, epistemological uncertainty reflects challenges rooted in the nature of one's knowledge of the world. For example, epistemological uncertainty arises when a person is faced with insufficient information, overwhelmingly abundant or inconsistent information, knowledge of doubtful relevance to her or his interests, and so on. All of these difficult sense-making situations create PI.

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