▁T M IM ▁analy zes ▁whether ▁an ▁individual ▁will ▁eng age ▁in ▁information ▁seeking ▁within ▁the ▁first ▁place ▁and ▁also ▁assess ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁the ▁information ▁provider . ▁The ▁theory ▁pos its ▁that ▁individuals ▁are ▁“ mot iv ated ▁to ▁manage ▁their ▁uncertainty ▁levels ▁when ▁they ▁perce ive ▁a ▁dis cre p ancy ▁between ▁the ▁level ▁of ▁uncertainty ▁they ▁have ▁about ▁an ▁important ▁issue ▁and ▁the ▁level ▁of ▁uncertainty ▁they ▁want ”. ▁" TM IM ▁distingu ishes ▁itself ▁from ▁other ▁information - se ek ing ▁theories ▁in ▁that ▁it ▁does ▁not ▁attribute ▁the ▁motiv ation ▁of ▁information ▁seeking ▁to ▁a ▁desire ▁for ▁uncertainty ▁reduction ; ▁rather , ▁the ▁catal yst ▁of ▁information ▁management ▁in ▁T M IM ▁lies ▁in ▁the ▁dis cre p ancy ▁between ▁actual ▁and ▁desired ▁uncertainty ." ▁In ▁other ▁words , ▁someone ▁may ▁be ▁uncertain ▁about ▁an ▁important ▁issue ▁but ▁dec ides ▁not ▁to ▁eng age ▁or ▁seek ▁information ▁because ▁they ▁are ▁comfortable ▁with ▁that ▁state ▁and , ▁therefore , ▁desire ▁it . ▁People ▁prefer ▁certain ty ▁in ▁some ▁situations ▁and ▁uncertainty ▁in ▁other ▁ ▁While ▁still ▁fairly ▁new , ▁T M IM ▁has ▁been ▁incorpor ated ▁to ▁look ▁at ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁issues ▁within ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁context s . ▁This ▁theory , ▁although ▁dealing ▁with ▁psych ological ▁actions , ▁looks ▁at ▁communic ative ▁behavior ▁and ▁is ▁applied ▁in ▁communication , ▁specifically ▁in ▁the ▁sub fields ▁of ▁inter person al ▁and ▁human ▁communication . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁Theory ▁of ▁Mot iv ated ▁Information ▁Management ▁ ▁T M IM ▁was