Affect Control Theory

Symbolic interactionism: Event is the minimum unit of analysis

Actor          Behavior       Object    Example: The mother hits her child

Extended Event:   Setting emotion modifier actor behavior emotion modifier object

 

We hold Attitudes toward the components of an event. Attitudes have two components

                1. beliefs: mental association with a concept => cognitive

                2. affect: a feeling component =>  ACT

Affective meaning is measured with semantic differential ratings on three dimensions (Charles Osgood)                     

Evaluation:    good, nice  -  bad, awful

Potency:  big, powerful  -  little, powerless

Activity:  fast, young, noisy  -  slow, old, quiet

 

Basic premises of ACT  (MacKinnon, Neil J. 1994. Symbolic Interactionism as Affect Control. Albany: State University of New York Press.)

I.              The affective component of attitudes towards identities, behaviors, traits, emotions, and social settings are most important determinants for the symbolic representation of each event.                                      

II.        Identities, behaviors, traits, emotions and settings have long-term affective meanings called fundamental sentiments. Fundamental sentiments are determined by socialization and therefore depend on culture and subculture.

III.       Identities, behaviors, traits, emotions and settings also have short-term affective meanings called transient feelings. Transient feelings are produced as specific events cause psychological processes of balance and
dissonance.

IV.       In a given event we try to have transient feelings that confirm fundamental sentiments.

V.        If feelings in the immediate event in the situation do not fully confirm sentiments, then fundamental meanings change, or else a new event will be created to provide better confirmation.

VI.             The difference between the fundamental sentiment and the transient impression is called deflection.

Out of context ratings (fundamental sentiments):

a mother                 a child                    to hit

In context ratings (transient sentiments) of the underlined element of the event.

a mother hits a child            a mother hits a child            a mother hits a child

Impression formation equations  are in context ratings are regressed on out of context ratings:

mother in event (transient impression)  =  b+ x*mother + x*hitting + x*child    

 

VII.          We want to restore the original meaning and minimize deflection by:

a)             choosing consequent behavior

b)            labeling: assign new identities to actor or object

c)             attribution: assign traits to the actor or object

d)            reinterpretation of the behavior

 

 

Charles Osgood asks

"But why E, P and A?...   The most important question today, as in the day of the Neanderthal, about the sign of a thing are:

 first, is it good or bad for me? (is it a cute Neanderthal female or a sabertooth tiger?);

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

second, is it strong or is it weak with respect to me? (is it a sabertooth tiger or a mouse?);

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

third, is it an active or a passive thing? (is it a sabertooth tiger or merely a pool of quicksand that I can carefully skirt?)". Osgood 1990, p. 247:

 

 

 

 

David Heise's Resources

  Back to the homepage of Dr. Andreas Schneider http://www2.tltc.ttu.edu/Schneider/

Disclaimer: The documents linked to other sources on the WWW, others than http://www2.tltc.ttu.edu/Schneider/ and its subdirectories, do not necessarily express the views of Texas Tech University or Dr. Andreas Schneider. @Copyright 2003 Andreas Schneider