Expressive Order

This book introduces affect control theory to lay readers of sociology, and guides sociology specialists into the theory's deep structure. Briefly, affect control theory proposes that individuals shape their social interactions so that emerging impressions reinforce sentiments about salient identities, behaviors, and settings. Part 1 of the book provides a plain-language exposition of the theory, along with numerous interpretive analyses of everyday situations. This is engaging and provocative reading for anyone interested in social relations. Part 2 presents the mathematical derivations that define sentiment-confirming behavior, labeling, attribution, and emotion. The mathematical solutions, conjoined with understandings about social institutions, are the basis of the theory's explanations. The final section describes the research program associated with the theory and the computer simulation software used in research, offering a jump start for individuals wishing to use affect control theory in their own research.