Expectancy Violation Theory Literature Review Example

Expectancy violation theory attempts to describe the unanticipated conducts of people as they interact. It holds its basis on the uncertainty reduction concept whereby the imprecision on other people's behavior is minimized through communication. Judee Burgoon instigated expectancy violation concept from the nonverbal expectancy violation theory that explained the personal space controlled by an individual and manner in which others respond to its desecration. Human beings envisage or expect specific conduct while communicating and the violations of these potentials may be alleged negatively or positively based on the association between individuals. When individuals fail to act in agreement with one's outlooks, one chooses to gauge their interaction conduct, be it nonverbal or verbal and how the actions make one feel. This essay explores and explains the expectancy violation theory and provides a review of the literature surrounding the topic; it also argues that expectations contribute to human communication.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Expectancy violation theory emphasizes a person's insight on the communication in a specific circumstance (Miller, 2005). While interacting, individuals may generate anticipation of how the other party might respond. Violating this eagerness may lead to a negative or positive perception. Individuals act in different manners according to the cultural values in which they experience in their lifespan and these impacts the people's feedback significantly. The theory also depends on an individual's personal space which is the limit we uphold, and liberty is offered to close individuals in a person's life. The specific private area is projected from the people whom they communicate with conferring to the affiliation between the two. The expectancy violation theory states that human beings tend to guard their personal space when they encounter a violation in the anticipated conduct (Burgoon, 1993).

Literature Review

Personal space

According to Burgoon (1993), violation of personal space produces anxiety responses and attempts to enhance detachment, which suggests that adjacent distances lead to discomfort and are threatening. Intimate distance includes 0 to 18 inches from the body. Behaviors noticed in this scope are like whispering, touching, embracing, and facial characteristics. In instances whereby this space is invaded, like in an elevator, individuals never maintain eye contact with others and would instead stare at a ceiling or wall to avoid the awkwardness or invasion of the intimate space. The personal distance (18 inches to 4 feet) is generally for family and good friends. This area may be defined as holding an individual's arm and out to a person's arms reach. Several associations with family or friends are spent within this scope. The social distance (4 to 10 feet) is measured to be more of a formal relationship zone. The closer end of the spectrum is reserved door those in a casual social gathering. In the 10 feet limit, one May continue communicating at a typical voice level and tone but maintain some distance. The last scope of personal space is the public distance which is 10 feet and beyond (Burgoon, 1993).

Expectancy

According to Miller (2005), the theory proposes that expectations on personal space are predisposed by two main aspects: the acknowledged unusual spacing patterns and the social norms of the initiator. A person's exclusive acquaintance describes the personal standards on communication style. While the social rules are the distances in which individuals are familiar with in circumstances that differ in every culture. Social norms like communication space values are influenced by several traits including religion, gender, age, and environment. All these aspects result in anticipation of performance, and the auditor may consider the violation of the anticipated deeds as negative or positive (Miller, 2005). For example, if one expects a gym tutor to be harsh while communicating the listener will be astonished by his gentle and calm conduct. The unanticipated behavior nevertheless determines whether the interaction should go on or not. The positivity supposed by the recipient may trail the communication while pessimism could deter the interaction even more.

Violation Valence

Anderson (2011) states that individuals are as well evaluated on a flexible scale. An individual who is supposed to be holding valuable traits like attractiveness, ability to punish or reward and power has the probability of being perceived auspiciously when he/she swerves from projected conduct as opposed to one who lacks these characteristics. Individuals are also quite subtle to violations by outsiders linked to infractions by families and friends (Anderson, 2011). When one obligates a constructive violation, they are on most occasions alleged more positively than if they obey the typical performance of the precise state.

McLaughlin and Vitak (2012) considered the way individuals build up internet expectations and manage violation counteractive actions. The author's exploration demonstrated that in light of the extensive measures of data and vast numbers of friends, breach happens most of the time. Users of Facebook build up their desires basing on what they have seen by other users on the platform. The most disapproved of infringement is undermining somebody's anticipated image on the internet, for example, posting depictions of them drinking at a gathering. Other Facebook violation includes displaying very emotional content, using several apps, a lot of status updates, and several pictures. If one intends to share things that they are not sure about, it is advisable to share the information through private conversations. Individuals' expectations change in light of whether the message is private or public. There can likewise be an optimistic violation (McLaughlin and Vitak, 2012). On the off chance that somebody sees that you like a band that they are charged with or a book they appreciate, this could positively affect their perception of you.

Applications

According to McLaughlin and Vitak (2011), expectancy violation theory is an essential device for evaluating the proper conducts in certain circumstances between unlike individuals. The expectancy violation concept may be used in studying several interpersonal relations. This theory's first strength is that it may be used in online situations, reality, as well as future modes of communication. Expectancy violation theory began as a concept stringently defining nonverbal interactions, and then it extended to encompass verbal conduct and has currently been viewed as being useful in virtual communication. Positive desecrations could be efficiently practical in various sectors of institutions that can, in turn, intensify productivity and profit. It hence demonstrates the theory's adaptability and the probability of expectancy violation theory to endure the test of time.

According to Kalman and Rafaeli (2011), an exciting current application of expectancy violation is regarding the innovative communication media like internet platforms. He carried out a study which observed the expectations of job applicants whereby submissions were delivered by email. Chronemic or time-related indications were found to be a crucial element of nonverbal online interaction. To explain this, the authors generated three sectors of email response expectancy, where by applicants linked their expectations to the degree of time they waited for feedback from the forthcoming boss (Kalman & Rafaeli, 2011). Higher valence was associated with higher valence; this is to mean that, aspirants who got one-day feedback projected greater success than those who got their response after two-weeks.

Coyne et al. (2011) carried out a study to address the communication tools people within intimate relations use to interact with their significant others and the link between using technologies and couple's negative and positive communication. Findings discovered that texting had the most solid connotation of a person's negative and positive interaction in the affair (Coyne et al., 2011). The research points the peril of expectation violation regarding a probable erotic affiliation if both allies fail to clarify prospects through verbal communication. Indeed, the significance of such interaction discovered through research in this manner has insinuations for a healthy friendship and romantic affiliation (Coyne et al., 2011). Verbal communication is crucial in enhancing nonverbal signs since the latter might be strictly confusing particularly when the association is close. The value of expectancy violation theory hence spreads past simple investigation into human communication in the public field and relays to closer personal relations and the regularly erroneous prospects intimate partners might hold for each other.

Bevan, Ang and Fearns (2014) state that the application of this theory is imperative since individuals make use of social media networking as the phase where everybody can perceive what they are doing, and infringement can have pulverizing impacts toward everybody you know. This hypothesis can be utilized to judge whether somebody shares intrigue or fascination. It is critical because individuals, who are not ready to understand a man's non-verbal communication and correspondence designs, will most likely not be extremely competent in enchanting a desirable collaborator. Also, because the theory can be viable on the internet, and in actuality as well, it is the ideal device to judge an individual's impression.

Expectancy violation theory, therefore, according to Andersen (2011), performs as an exceptional context for understanding intercultural and interpersonal communication as well as an improved comprehension of the online communication model. Recognizing non-verbal cues like response latency requires a significant impact on how such interactions are carried out, particularly regarding the more informative agendas and formal business. The theory may also be used in personal communication among cultures and genders whereby sexual dialogue is the anticipated objective (Andersen, 2011).

Criticisms

Miller (2005) proposes that there are such broad scopes of components that go into the correspondence procedure, which makes it staggeringly hard to judge the results of circumstances where infringement happens. Alongside the irregular surprising responses individuals now and again have, this makes arbitrating the eventual outcome of a minor or severe infraction conceivably erroneous. This disapproval categorizes the theory as an umbrella hypothesis that tries to anticipate the result of a vastly complicated process (Miller, 2005). Be that as it may, this evaluation does not render the assumption irrelevant. In spite of the fact that the way individuals respond to infringement is subject to a heap of components, the theory still takes into consideration a comprehension of how individuals, by and large, will act even with the violation.

Lloyd and Mertens (2018) claim that another shortcoming of this hypothesis is that it requires a liberal measure of time for a perceiver to comprehend the tenets and desires in different societies among various circumstances. This kind of information is picked up by total inundation in the way of life, along these lines constraining the capacity for a person to judge the excellent suitability of their conduct. Circumstances, where individuals from two distinct societies connect, may cause accidentally detrimental infringement and confusion. Applications as earlier stated the expectancy violation theory could be applied in a virtual setting as well as in reality (Lloyd & Mertens, 2018). Social media communication, particularly Facebook, is where there are numerous open doors for infringement to happen. Because of the...