Communication Theory (COMS311)

Expectancy violation theory is concerned primarily with the structure of messages (non-verbal). It asserts that when communicative norms are violated, the violation may be perceived either favourably or unfavourably, depending on the perception the receiver has of the violator. Violating another’s expectation is a strategy that may be used rather than conforming to another’s expectation.

"Symbolic interactionism, a theory most commonly associated with George Herbert Mead, has influenced generations of scholars in a number of fields in the humanities and social sciences. This theory has been especially well received in the field of communication, however, because it places communication at the forefront of the study of human social existence."