Alexa's crush, Nieve, just sat down next to her on the bus. However, this was the last available sat on the bus and there was Nieve's cousin, Jonah, who still needs a seat. The bus driver instructs Alexa and Nieve to just squish together so that Jonah can sit in their row. Which theory best explains why Alexa is feeling excited to squish next to Nieve?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Expectancy Violations Theory (EVT) suggests that people have certain expectations for how others will behave in social situations, and when those expectations are violated, it can lead to arousal and either positive or negative evaluations of the violator. In this case, Alexa may have had expectations for how Nieve would behave on the bus, but when Nieve sat next to her and they were forced to squish together, it violated those expectations and created arousal and excitement.

Alexa's Crush, Nieve, Just Sat Down Next to Her on the Bus