Unexpected Reactions to Expected Behavior
The Breakfast Club is about five students whom all get sentenced to detention on a Saturday. Each of them are in a different stereotypical class. There is a scene where John Bender (Judd Nelson) sneaks a bag of pot into the library. He figured he might as well be high since Richard Vernon (Paul Gleason), their detention supervisor, was not going to be in the room. The other four students rejected the idea of smoking pot, but eventually gave in to having a little fun. This is an example of the Expectancy Violations Theory.
Both predictive and prescriptive expectations were shown. Andrew (Emilio Estevez) predicted that none of them were going to join Bender. But when Claire (Molly Ringwald) joined in, everyone else emulated her. Even Andrew, the wrestling star, joined since everyone else was partaking in the event. After smoking, the students felt more comfortable with each other due to a weird commonality between them. When unexpected behaviors occur, there is either a positive or negative violation. According to Guerrero, "When the unexpected behavior is perceived to be more satisfying than the expected behavior, a positive violation has occurred."
Both predictive and prescriptive expectations were shown. Andrew (Emilio Estevez) predicted that none of them were going to join Bender. But when Claire (Molly Ringwald) joined in, everyone else emulated her. Even Andrew, the wrestling star, joined since everyone else was partaking in the event. After smoking, the students felt more comfortable with each other due to a weird commonality between them. When unexpected behaviors occur, there is either a positive or negative violation. According to Guerrero, "When the unexpected behavior is perceived to be more satisfying than the expected behavior, a positive violation has occurred."
Opening up to get Closer
Toward the end of the movie, all five students are sitting in a circle opening up to each other. The main topic of the five was how each of them are stressed because of their families Andrew started off with how he is messed up because of his father. Andrew is constantly reminded by his father that weakness is a sin. He humiliated another kid because his mind in influenced by his father. His father is so hard on Andrew that he wished that he wants nothing to do with him. The other four did not think Andrew could be stressed because he had everything. He was good looking, kind to others, and he was a wrestling star. After his confession, everyone else confessed how they are messed up and got into detention. This is an example of Negative Interpretations of Behavior. Guerrero states that the interpretation as: "Actions that do not have relational implications but that simply are not expected from that person in that context."
*For more information, see the "notes" page