Expectation States Theory, Applied to Relationships

Expectation States Theory

Expectation States Theory examines how status cues influence expectations and encourage particular behaviors within task-oriented groups. Expectation states refer to beliefs about a person's competence and ability to contribute to a group task. These expectations are based on status cues such as clothing and accessories, physical appearance, accent, posture, use of technical jargon, age, and gender. According to the theory, when group members first meet, they evaluate one another and form initial expectations based on these status cues. People who possess high status cues are expected to be more competent, influential, and successful than are those possessing low status cues. These expectations then work as self-fulfilling prophecies. People who are expected to be competent are given more opportunities to succeed, more positive feedback, less criticism, and more cooperation from others, all of which increase their confidence and their ability to influence others and succeed. In contrast, group members who are perceived as low status are rebuffed and disliked if they try to assert power or authority.

In addition to general expectation states, the theory proposes that people develop self-to-other performance expectations. The idea here is that when people first come together in groups, they make implicit comparisons between themselves and others to better understand their roles. When people have low performance expectations, they are likely to be fairly passive, ask others for information, be easily influenced by others, and evaluate other people's suggestions favorably. In contrast, people who have high performance expectations are more likely to share ideas, be critical of others, and take leadership roles.

Although Expectation States Theory was developed to apply to task-oriented groups, other scholars, such as Cecilia Ridgeway, have used the theory to explain gender inequality in relationships between men and women. Ridgeway has argued that expectations based on gender stereotypes produce a network of constraining beliefs and behaviors that prevent women (who are viewed as having less status than men) from succeeding in the workplace. According to this view, expectation states help explain why women are evaluated more harshly than men when they act aggressively; because they are seen as lower in status, women are expected to engage in behavior that is conciliatory and cooperative rather than authoritative and competitive. Expectation States Theory also helps describe the perceptional biases and processes that lead women to hit “glass ceilings” and be overlooked for promotions. The theory suggests that [Page 566]this happens because women are not expected to perform well, leading others to overlook or dismiss their accomplishments.

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