expectancy violations theory EVT

EVT author

Judee Burgoon

Proxemics

• the study of people’s use of space

• by Edward Hall

• includes various spatial zones, such as intimate, personal, social, and public distance

violation valence

• the perceived positive/negative value assigned to a breach of expectations

• determines whether they view them as favorable or unfavorable in context

EVT primary focus

• the impact of violating social norms and personal expectations on comm

• examines how deviations from expected behaviors can enhance or hinder comm effectiveness in various contexts

• not all violations are negative; some can lead to positive outcome depending on communicator’s characteristics and context

expectancy

predictions about how someone should behave in a specific situation

intimate distance

for whispering, touching, and loving contact

personal distance

for convos with friends and family

social distance

for impersonal business and group interactions

public distance

for public speaking, where fine details of facial expression are lost

communicator reward valence

• The sum of the positive and negative attributes the violator brings to the encounter, plus their potential to reward or punish you in the future

• includes attractiveness, status, and likability

• influences how we interpret their behavior, especially when they violate our expectations during interaction 

how do individuals typically respond to violations?

by interpreting them based on the communicator’s reward valence

EVT process

Expectation -> Violation -> Interpretation -> Outcome 

Real-World Applications & Research 

• Paul Mongeau's Research on First Dates 

• The Teacher Clothing Study (Dunbar & Segrin)