Two contrasting explanations of involvement violations: Orientation response or affective reaction?

Abstract

Among theories that address the impact of variations in immediacy behaviors during ongoing interactions are nonverbal expectancy violations and discrepancy arousal theories. This study of the effects of violations of expectations on arousal and reciprocity and compensation in the medical student-patient relationship proposed that (1) nonverbal expectancy violations theory would be more valid than discrepancy arousal theory in predicting outcomes, (2) violations of expectations would be followed by an orientation response as indicated by both physiological indicators and nonverbal behaviors, and (3) physiological indicators of arousal intensity would be associated with nonverbal indicators of arousal intensity. The results indicate that neither nonverbal expectancy violations nor discrepancy arousal theory's predictions were entirely valid, as high and very high involvement (including touch and close proximity) were met with reciprocity of high involvement, while low and very low involvement (negative violations of expectations) were met with reciprocity of low involvement. Additionally, all violations of expectations were followed by increases in arousal rather than the orientation response. Finally, arousal was generally predictive of nonverbal indicators of arousal intensity, thus offering less obtrusive ways to measure arousal.