FIGURE 1.

Synopsis level (Level 0) of the ViolEx 2.0 model. Overall, the model aims to inform and facilitate research on the predictors and mechanisms of expectation update and maintenance, particularly in the context of expectation violations. Generalized expectations are expectations that individuals have about groups of similar situations and their potential outcomes. Given a particular situation, generalized expectations inform more concrete situation-specific expectations. Depending on whether the outcome of a situation is consistent with an expectation or not, this expectation is confirmed or violated, respectively. Following expectation violation (or confirmation), individuals may either update their expectation to increase consistency with the situational outcome or maintain their expectation. Identical expectations, situations, and situational outcomes may still result in differences in expectation updating or maintenance across occasions and across individuals, given moderating social and personal influences.