EXPECTANCY VIOLATION THEORY

Judee Burgoon's Expectancy Violations Theory (EVT) is one of the few theories that precisely concentrate on nonverbal communication. The theory's expectations and essential concepts distinctively show the significance of nonverbal messages and information processing. EVT also helps us grasp and comprehend how an expectation affects conversational distance. We create these “comfortable” space surroundings or distances from others. These distances are called proxemics. When the person feeling interacted with experiences physical and psychological discomfort this is now called threat threshold. The Expectancy Violations Theory also explains communication as the exchange of information in a logical content that can be used to disrupt the anticipation of another. For example, you may expect a person to act in a cruel manner but then the person ends up turning out to be the sweetest person you’ve ever met. The perception of exchanging can be accepted either negatively or positively, which is called violation valence. This depends on the level of common interests between the two people, and can also impact the outcome of communication. If the exchange is received negatively, then it will obstruct future communication. If the exchange is received positively, it will enrich the communication. This is the communicator reward valence. It delays people’s reaction to unexpected behavior because expectancies are based on the communicator’s social norms and their exact characteristics. Violations of expectancies cause provocation and require the receiver to invite a series of rational thoughts or evaluation of the violation, as well as causing uncertainty in people’s behavior. EVT is a valuable theory because it gives a way to join behavior and reasoning. It is one of the few communication theories that offer us a better understanding of our need for both other people and personal