Judee Burgoon's Expectancy Violation Theory

Introduction
Theorist Judee Burgoon is a well-respected contributor in the communication scholarly community. Not only has she formulated the eminent definition of a theory as “a set of systematic, informed hunches about the way things operate”, but she is also the founder of Expectancy Violation Theory (EVT). EVT is a communication theory that aims to provide an explanation for the nonverbal patterns and behaviors that occur when individuals interact interpersonally. Burgoon is a behavioral scientist that connects the dots between human interaction and influence of behavioral outcomes. The theory supports that dyadic social interaction has nonverbal expected behavior and that diverting from that social norm can alter the reaction of
Of the two disciplines, Burgoon's Expectancy Violations Theory falls under the extreme end of the objective, or scientific, category. The objective worldview is unbiased and “concerned with facts uninfluenced by opinions or feelings” (Dictionary, 2016). The reason EVT is an object theory is because it tries to find one answer that works most of the time and works in terms of probability as it scientific in nature. It follows the premise that “truth is singular and is committed to uncovering a cause-and-effect relationship” (Griffin, 2015). Objectivity relies on empirical evidence and facts rather than perception. Two key purposes of EVT to explain and predict the relationship between expectancy violation and interpersonal communication. Within objective theories, prediction and explanation are essential components to defining the reasoning behind of a theory. Objective theories require testing, which EVT has endured several times throughout the
In other words, “it can be tested and disproved if it is indeed wrong”(Griffin, 2015). EVT is clearly stated

EVT successfully passes the fifth scientific standard of a good objective theory, practical utility by being relevant information for our everyday lives. As Burgoon stated, “communication expectancies are an important part of intercultural understanding and are defined as cultural guidelines for anticipating behavior” (Gregory, 2013).
Lastly, EVT successfully passes the sixth scientific standard of a good objective theory, quantitative research through experimentation.
Past criticism of EVT in regards to the standards. One criticism of Burgoon’s EVT is that this theory relies heavily on empirical evidence and experimentation. This can be problematic since research can have holes in it such as not having a large or diverse enough sample