The effects of expectation disconfirmation on appraisal, affect, and behavioral intentions

A Revised Framework for the Investigation of Expectation Update Versus Maintenance in the Context of Expectation Violations: The ViolEx 2.0 Model

Expectations are probabilistic beliefs about the future that shape and influence our perception, affect, cognition, and behavior in many contexts. This makes expectations a highly relevant concept across basic and applied psychological disciplines. When expectations are confirmed or violated, individuals can respond by either updating or maintaining their prior expectations in light of the new evidence. Moreover, proactive and reactive behavior can change the probability with which individuals encounter expectation confirmations or violations. The investigation of predictors and mechanisms underlying expectation update and maintenance has been approached from many research perspectives. However, in many instances there has been little exchange between different research fields. To further advance research on expectations and expectation violations, collaborative efforts across different disciplines in psychology, cognitive (neuro)science, and other life sciences are warranted. For fostering and facilitating such efforts, we introduce the ViolEx 2.0 model, a revised framework for interdisciplinary research on cognitive and behavioral mechanisms of expectation update and maintenance in the context of expectation violations. To support different goals and stages in interdisciplinary exchange, the ViolEx 2.0 model features three model levels with varying degrees of specificity in order to address questions about the research synopsis, central concepts, or functional processes and relationships, respectively. The framework can be applied to different research fields and has high potential for guiding collaborative research efforts in expectation research.

Learning From One’s Mistakes

Abstract. Optimistic performance estimates tend to diminish as performance and feedback draw near, yet it is unclear what contributes to subsequent performance estimates after feedback. At multiple time points, 166 undergraduates estimated their performance on two exams within a course, which was then compared to their actual exam scores. Along with assessing accuracy and shifts in estimates as performance and feedback drew near, the current study explored the mechanisms involved in “learning from one’s mistakes” by examining what happens after feedback on actual performance. We assessed the post-feedback emotional impact of performance estimates and identified predictors of subsequent estimates and later performance. Although, individuals overestimated their performance for both exams, feedback on Exam 1 resulted in significantly lower estimates for Exam 2. Irrespective of actual performance, higher expectations detrimentally impacted emotional responses to feedback, prior estimates played a central role in predicting subsequent estimates, and various predictors of actual subsequent performance were identified. Findings contribute to understanding changes in pre- to post-feedback performance expectations and identify predictive factors of post-feedback performance estimates and later performance.

Pre-Feedback Risk Expectancies and Reception of Low-Risk Health Feedback: Absolute and Comparative Lack of Reassurance

BACKGROUND

Personalised health-risk assessment is one of the most common components of health promotion programs. Previous research on responses to health risk feedback has commonly focused on the reception of bad news (high-risk feedback). The reception of low-risk feedback has been comparably neglected since it is assumed that good news is reassuring and readily received. However, field studies suggest mixed responses to low-risk health feedback. Accordingly, we examine whether pre-feedback risk expectancies can mitigate the reassuring effects of good news.

METHODS

In two studies (N = 187, N = 565), after assessing pre-feedback risk expectancies, participants received low-risk personalised feedback about their own risk of developing (the fictitious) Tucson Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (TCFS). Study 2 also included peer TCFS risk status feedback. Afterwards, self- and peer-related risk perception for TCFS was assessed.

RESULTS

In both studies, participants who expected to be at high risk but received good news (unexpected low-risk feedback) showed absolute lack of reassurance. Specifically, they felt at significantly greater TCFS risk than participants who received expected good news. Moreover, the unexpected low-risk group even believed that their risk was as high as (Study 1) or higher (Study 2) than that of their peers (comparative lack of reassurance).

CONCLUSION

Results support the notion that high pre-feedback risk expectancies can mitigate absolute and comparative reassuring effects of good news.

Negatively valenced expectancy violation predicts emotionality: A longitudinal analysis

We hypothesized that negatively valenced expectancy violations about the quality of 1's life would predict negative emotionality. We tested this hypothesis in a 4-wave longitudinal study of breast cancer survivors. The findings showed that higher levels of negatively valenced expectancy violation, at earlier time points, were associated with greater negative emotionality, at later time points. Implications of the findings are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record