Expectation expectation
The expectation expectation is a theorem from sociological systems theory about the stabilization of social situations. Expectations reduce complexity in social systems. Expectations are expectations that relate to the expectations of a counterpart.
Participants in social systems have a wealth of options for action, so their actions are contingent . Since this applies to all participants, there is double contingency . Without expectation, no participant can be sure how the other will behave. Without expectation of expectation, he cannot know how to behave himself. That makes social systems complex. In order for communication to be successful, the participants not only have to form expectations, but also expectations, i.e. they have to know which expectations are to be expected of the other participants. In this way the action of one can follow up on the action of the other, the system is stable.
An example: A and B meet in the stairwell and greet each other. A expects B to greet him and B expects A to return the greeting. But A must also expect B to expect to be greeted back, just as B must expect A to expect to be greeted first. Without expectation of the other, the actual expectations of A and B remain unfulfilled.
Expectations can be generalized, in the example as a rule of courtesy or as part of a role . However, they are not binding, an expectation can be disappointed.
See also
literature
- Niklas Luhmann: Social Systems . 11th edition (1st edition 1984), Suhrkamp 2001, ISBN 3-518-28266-2
- Hans-Jürgen Hohm: Social systems, communication, people: An introduction to sociological systems theory . Juventa 2006, ISBN 3-7799-0757-7 , pp. 136f.