Running head: NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION 1

NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

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NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION

Nonverbal communication is a form of communication that involves people passing or receiving

information among themselves without any verbal communication. This form of communication

includes implicit conveying of messages that can be either intentional or not using different

behaviors that are non-verbal (COST 2102 International Conference, 2011). Good examples

Introduction

related with this mode of communication includes tonal variation and change of pitch in voice,

facial expressions, gestures as a result of body language, and a physical strategic distance

between the people communicating (COST 2102 International Conference, 2011). In most cases,

non-verbal signals pass added information and meaning based on the verbal communication that

is happening or happened.

Expectancy Violations Theory

In the early 1970s, Judee K. Burgoon proposed the nonverbal expectancy violation theory. In this

theory of communication, Burgoon analyzed how different people respond to unexpected

violations while communicating (Dainton, 2014). The theory focus is on the reduction of

personal vagueness in behavior through interaction mechanism. People expect and in other cases

predict different behaviors in a situation of interaction based on the relationship between the

people communicating which the reaction can either be positive or negative. The theory goes

further in explaining how people protect their personal space at the time of experiencing a

violation situation after expected behaviors (Dainton, 2014).

There are two types of expectancies which include predictive, referring to interaction or

communication that takes place in a specific context or environment (Dainton, 2014).

Prescriptive which is a person expressing certain behavior that suits the environment the
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communication is taking place. Above all expectancy among people is based on three factors

which are the interactant characteristics, interpersonal characteristics, and environment.

How do we react to nonverbal communication that we don't expect?

People have a different perspective when it comes to matters of reacting towards nonverbal

communication. Beyond the normal understating, examination and proxemics on how people can

possibly react to interpret violations the EVT also makes assumptions in predicting how people

in character to various expectation reaction (Dainton, 2014). The main question that arises is

whether an individual will return the favor by matching up the unexpected reaction, or will the

individual counteract by giving an opposite of the other person behavior? This critical question

when it comes to nonverbal communication behaviors (Dainton, 2014). Before deciding whether

to compensate, reciprocate, or predict and must have an understanding of the three core concepts

of EVT, which in this case are violation valence, communicator reward valence, and expectancy.

Communicator Reward Valence

This concept focuses on the evaluation of violation of expectancy committed by an individual. It

basically comprises the sum of positive and negative behaviors brought about in an interaction

situation which will determine whether to reward the person or punish him/her in the future

(Neuliep, 2014). In an interaction concept generally, people seek to reward and avoid any

possible way of punishing each other. Burgoon advocates for an analysis on both the positive and

negative attributes that arise in an interaction scenario, meaning at the end of communication if

one character has the ability to either reward receiver or punish in the future then the character

has a positive reward valence (Neuliep, 2014). A good example is a conversation that involves

encouragement if the receiver nods and keeps eye contact the communicator feel encouraged, but

if the receiver shows no interest using nonverbal gestures like avoiding eye contact, texting or
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yawning then the communicator will feel violated. Critically analyzing this concept people in

character in a communication will reach to an expectation and an alternation of any expectancy

variable will lead to a totally unexpected reaction.

Violation Valence

Under this concept, the attention is the key objective and explains the outcome of deviation from

expectations (Braithwaite, 2014). Arousal being the key word in this concept, it can change the

whole meaning of an interaction. For instance, two individual conversing and one of the

character’s expectation is violated, the attention which should be in the message deviate to the

person who caused the arousal which is a distraction. The reaction to such violation can either be

positive or negative and it all depends on the violator relationship and character (Braithwaite,

2014). For instance, personal space violation can be more positive valance if done by a powerful,

wealthy, or opposite sex compared to a violation caused by a filthy, homeless, poor person.

Expectancy

Commonly referred to the expectation a person has during a conversation. People interact with a

certain expectation on their mind and wondering how the other character will think of them and

behave (Hall, 2013). Under this concept is where the two types of expectancy come in, the

predictive or prescriptive. The reactions can be expected due to the relationship between the

characters or based on beliefs and culture of the characters (Hall, 2013). Based on the knowledge

of the context people in character will have a clue on how to react to unexpected nonverbal

gestures.
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Conclusion

Communication is a fundamental aspect of interaction and passing on information. People can

react differently messages passed to them either verbally or nonverbally. The EVT is guidance

on how to react to various unexpected reaction considering the relationship, environment and the

characters involved in a conversation. Thus it is important to have the knowledge on how to react

in different scenarios when your personal space is violated.

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Bibliography
Braithwaite, D. O. (2014). . Engaging theories in interpersonal communication: Multiple

perspectives. .

COST 2102 International Conference, &. E. (2011). Analysis of verbal and nonverbal

communication and enactment: The processing issues. Berlin:: Springer.

Dainton, M. &. (2014). Applying communication theory for professional life: A practical

introduction. .

Hall, J. A. (2013). .. Nonverbal communication. Berlin: : De Gruyter, Mouton. .

Neuliep, J. W. (2014). Intercultural communication: A contextual approach.