Expectancy Violation Theory (Explained in 3 Minutes)

Expectancy violation theory is the idea that people have expectations about how others should behave in social situations, and when those expectations are broken, it can lead to surprise, discomfort, or even positive reactions. The theory was developed by communication scholar Judee Burgoon in the 1970s. Originally, it focused on how people react when someone violates personal space, but it later expanded to include all types of unexpected behaviors in communication.