Psychological uncertainty in human experience and behavior: a systematic review on measurements, induction, and effects

Uncertainty influences our experiences, emotions, and interactions, and can play a role in the adoption of automated technologies. However, the concept of uncertainty is not clearly defined. This systematic literature review synthesizes evidence from 27 peer reviewed articles explicitly addressing the word uncertainty, on the definitions, measurements, inductions, and positive and negative effects of uncertainty in relation to human experience and behavior. Based on our analysis, we provide a definition of psychological uncertainty, which highlights the nature of psychological uncertainty as a context-dependent state, of which the effects vary per source. This review also reports on measurements of uncertainty, which most frequently are based on Likert/multiple-choice self-reporting. Furthermore, this review summarizes the different methods for inducing participants in a state of uncertainty, which are recall of uncertain events, varying or withholding information, and altering predictability. Lastly, this review reports on the moderators of uncertainty and provides one single definition of psychological uncertainty for future work to implement and refine. The results from this review can inform future studies, refine theoretical frameworks, and guide the development of practical applications in psychology and human factors.