Deck 7: Expectancy Violations Theory

Question 1

The invisible, variable volume of space surrounding an individual that defines that individual's referred distance from others is called:

A) intimate space.
B) personal space.
C) social space.
D) public space.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

The term that was coined by Edward Hall to refer to the study of people's use of space as a special elaboration of culture is:

A) proxemics.
B) kinesics.
C) chronemics.
D) haptics.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Burgoon originally stated that people felt physiologically aroused when their proxemic expectations were violated. However, she:

A) now views arousal as a side effect of a partner's deviation.
B) softened the concept of arousal to "an orienting response" or a mental "alertness" that focuses attention on the violator.
C) no longer considers arousal as a necessary link between expectancy violation and communication outcomes such as attraction, credibility, persuasion, and involvement.
D) All of the answers are correct.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The perceived positive or negative value assigned to a breach of expectations, regardless of who the violator is, is called:

A) response value.
B) reinforcement value.
C) violation valence.
D) None of the answers is correct.

Question 5

Which of the following concepts has Burgoon abandoned?

A) violation valence
B) communicator reward valence
C) expectancy
D) threat threshold

Question 6

________ suggests that people live in an interpersonal economy in which they all "take stock" of the relational value of others they meet.

A) Social penetration theory
B) Interaction adaption theory (IAT)
C) The critical tradition
D) The cybernetic tradition

Question 7

The reward valence of a communicator is:

A) the zone around the individual that is advantageous to cross.
B) the sum of the positive and negative attributes the person brings to the encounter.
C) the potential he or she has to reward or punish in the future.
D) the sum of the positive and negative attributes the person brings to the encounter plus the potential he or she has to reward or punish in the future.

Question 8

According to interaction adaptation theory, the initial interaction position is made up of:

A) expectations and violations.
B) needs, drives, and objectives.
C) requirements, expectations, and desires.
D) generalized goals and specific tactics.

Question 9

________ is defined as a strong human tendency to respond to another's action with similar behavior.

A) Reciprocity
B) Expectancy
C) Predictability
D) Mindfulness

Question 10

Judee Burgoon claimed that the size and shape of one's personal space is independent of his or her cultural norms and individual preferences.

Question 11

The meaning of unexpected touch is unequivocal.

Question 12

Judee Burgoon and her colleagues prefer to reserve the term "expectancy" for what is desired rather than what is predicted to occur.

Question 13

Burgoon defines the term "communicator reward valence" as the sum of positive and negative attributes brought to an encounter plus the potential to reward or punish in the future.

Question 14

EVT successfully accounts for the overwhelming prevalence of reciprocity that has been found in interpersonal interactions.

Question 15

EVT has testable hypotheses that Burgoon is willing to adjust when her quantitative research doesn't support the prediction.

Question 16

Judee Burgoon believes that interpersonal interactions involve unilateral moves rather than synchronized actions and continues to favor a single-sided view of unexpected communication over a dyadic model of adaptation.

Question 17

Judee Burgoon states that human beings are predisposed to adapt to each other.

Question 18

Burgoon is convinced that all cultures have a similar content of expected communication behavior but the structure of those expectations can differ markedly from culture to culture.

Question 19

By removing extraneous features, Burgoon has streamlined her model.

Question 20

Burgoon abandoned the idea of a(n) ________.

Question 21

________ is defined as a systematic analysis of how people adjust their approach when another's behavior doesn't align with what's needed, anticipated, or preferred.

Question 22

When is it appropriate and when is it inappropriate to violate expectations?

Question 23

Discuss the principal changes in Burgoon's theory, from its initial formulation to the present.

Question 24

Two crucial variables in Burgoon's expectancy violations theory are the violation valence and the communicator reward valence. What's the difference between these two variables or indexes?

Question 25

What is the difference between violation valence and communicator reward valence? Which one is more important?

Question 26

Identify, describe, and illustrate the core concepts of EVT.

Question 27

Gene wants to approach his great-aunt Dorothy about lending him money for the down payment on his house but is not sure how to go about making his request. What advice would you give him? What important things should he know, and what is likely to increase his chance of success?

Question 28

Explain how Burgoon simultaneously streamlined her model and expanded the range of expectancy violations.

Question 29

What are the ethical issues involved in EVT?

Question 30

Imagine that the ghost of George Herbert Mead encounters Judee Burgoon late one evening as she pores over data in her University of Arizona laboratory. Quickly crossing her threat threshold-which is particularly easy for a spirit to do-he violates her expectations by presenting a critique of her work. What is the gist of their exchange? Who has the last laugh?

Question 31

Is EVT a good scientific theory? Why or why not?

Question 32

Could a practitioner of CMM's dialogic communication incorporate EVT into his or her repertoire to become a more effective mediator of disputes? Why or why not?