Based on expectancy violation theory, two experiments examine the effects of two communication styles-aggressive and polite communication-in the contexts of child vaccination and GMO debates. The first study tests the effects of aggressive, neutral and polite communication styles with the consideration of parents' attitudes toward the issue. The second study further considers the effect of communication source, which employs a 3 (aggressive, neutral, polite message) x 2 (scientist, non-scientist) between-subject experiment. The results show that expectancy violation significantly mediates the relationship between message style and outcomes, attitude toward the communication issue as well as the source affect how individuals process the message. The results provide a novel way to understand the effect of communication style and practical implications for communicators to operate communication style during interactions in risk, science or health contexts.
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