Soci 3270- exam 2

Affect Control Theory- Robinson & Smith-Lovin

1. Gender and Interaction Styles: The chapter discusses how gender norms shape interaction styles. It explores how individuals are socialized into gender roles and how these roles influence their behavior in social interactions. For example, men may be socialized to be more assertive and competitive, while women may be socialized to be more nurturing and accommodating.

2. Gender Identity and Affect Control Theory: The authors examine how gender identity influences affective meanings and behavioral tendencies in social interactions. They argue that individuals' gender identities shape their interpretations of social situations and guide their behavioral responses.

3. Gender and Emotion Management: The chapter discusses how gender norms influence emotion management strategies. For instance, men may be socialized to suppress emotions such as sadness or fear, while women may be encouraged to express these emotions more freely.

4. Gendered Expectations in Interactions: The authors highlight how gendered expectations shape social interactions. They discuss how individuals may conform to or resist these expectations based on their gender identity and the situational context.

5. Social Structure and Gender: The chapter explores how social structure and power dynamics intersect with gender to shape social interactions. It examines how gendered roles and expectations are embedded within broader social structures and institutions.

1. Introduction to Affect Control Theory: The authors introduce affect control theory, which posits that individuals use cultural meanings (affect, behavior, and identity) to interpret and respond to social interactions. These meanings are shaped by cultural norms and values, and individuals strive to maintain consistency between their actions and cultural expectations.

2. Basic Principles of Affect Control Theory: The book outlines the basic principles of ACT, including the concepts of identity, affective meanings, and behavioral tendencies. It explains how individuals use these concepts to make sense of their social world and regulate their behavior in accordance with cultural norms.

3. Methodological Approaches: The authors discuss the methodological approaches used in affect control research, including mathematical modeling, empirical studies, and computer simulations. They highlight the interdisciplinary nature of ACT and its applications in various fields, such as sociology, psychology, and communication studies.

4. Applications in Social Interaction: The book explores how affect control theory can be applied to understand various aspects of social interaction, including impression management, emotion regulation, and identity negotiation. It examines how individuals strategically use cultural meanings to achieve social goals and maintain a coherent sense of self.

5. Applications in Self-Concept: The authors discuss how affect control theory can inform our understanding of self-concept and identity formation. They explore how individuals internalize cultural meanings and incorporate them into their self-concept, shaping their perceptions of themselves and their place in society.

6. Extensions and Future Directions: The book concludes with a discussion of extensions and future directions for affect control theory. It highlights ongoing research in the field and suggests potential areas for further exploration, such as the role of emotions in social interaction and the impact of digital technologies on identity construction.

Selective Interaction- Robinson & Smith-Lovin

• individuals strategically choosing who to interact with based on shared identities or characteristics.

• Selective interaction reinforces personal identity by surrounding oneself with like-minded individuals who affirm and validate one's sense of self.

• The argument is that selective interaction is prevalent among marginalized groups or those facing identity threats.

• offer insights into how selective interaction functions as a strategy for identity preservation in various social contexts.

Resolving Negative Affect- Boyle & Mckenzie

• analyze narratives to identify three themes: "protecting the other," "protecting themselves," and "defining the event as rape."

  • In the "protecting the other", individuals described situations where they felt pressured or coerced into sexual activity by their partners. They often framed these experiences as misunderstandings or blamed societal norms rather than directly attributing blame to their partners. The study used simulations to analyze how modifying the narratives affected the emotional responses and attributions of the individuals involved.

  • In the "protecting the self", individuals described feeling naive or vulnerable in their experiences. Some attributed their actions to their youth or lack of awareness rather than acknowledging coercion or abuse. The study found that adding explanatory attributes to these narratives helped individuals protect their past selves and cope with their experiences.

  • "defining the event as rape" category, individuals described experiences that aligned with cultural and legal definitions of rape. These narratives often involved physical force, incapacitation, or lack of consent. The study highlighted the emotional impact of these experiences, including fear, anxiety, and lingering trauma.

• The results show that women who protected others often had ongoing relationships with long-term partners, especially boyfriends. Protection of others was less likely when physical force was involved. Conversely, women who protected themselves often described isolated events from adolescence, with multiple victimizations and physical force decreasing the likelihood of this theme.

• Significant differences existed between women who protected themselves and those who protected others. Romantic relationships with the perpetrator decrease the likelihood of protecting oneself. Overall, violent, frequent, and less recent assaults by non-romantic partners were associated with defining the event as rape.

• It suggests that dependence in relationships, length of relationship, and whether the relationship has terminated shape a woman's response. Factors like the number of incidents, recency, and level of physical force also influence deflection reduction strategies.

• exploring personal history rather than focusing solely on individual events and calls for longitudinal research to untangle the relationship between previous victimization, affective response, identity, and revictimization.

• redefining oneself as powerful, such as a "survivor," may decrease distress and promote healing.

When you call me that, Smile- Cohen, Vandello, Puente & Rantilla

1. Politeness Norms: Southern culture highly values politeness and hospitality. There is an emphasis on maintaining harmony and avoiding conflict through courteous behavior, even in potentially confrontational situations.

2. Interaction Styles: Southern interaction styles often involve indirect communication, where criticism or disagreement is conveyed subtly or indirectly to avoid causing offense. This can include using euphemisms, humor, and nonverbal cues to soften potentially negative messages.

3. Aggression: Despite the emphasis on politeness, Southern culture also exhibits high levels of aggression, particularly in response to perceived threats to honor or reputation. This aggression may manifest in behaviors such as verbal insults, challenges to authority, and even violence in extreme cases.

4. The Interplay: The authors argue that politeness norms and interaction styles in Southern culture serve to regulate and mask underlying aggression. By adhering to polite norms and utilizing indirect communication, individuals can express aggression in socially acceptable ways while maintaining the appearance of civility.

5. Gender Dynamics: The paper also explores how these dynamics intersect with gender, noting that Southern masculinity is often tied to notions of honor and the defense of one's reputation. This can lead to heightened sensitivity to perceived insults and a greater likelihood of aggressive responses, particularly among Southern men.

1. "Bless Your Heart": The phrase "bless your heart" is often used in Southern culture as a form of politeness or empathy, but it can also be employed in a passive-aggressive manner to convey criticism or pity. For example, saying, "Bless your heart, you tried your best," might actually imply that the person's efforts were inadequate.

2. Southern Hospitality: Southern hospitality emphasizes the importance of being gracious and accommodating to others, even strangers. This can involve acts of kindness such as offering food or shelter, but it also maintains social harmony and positive relationships within the community.

3. Indirect Communication: In Southern culture, direct confrontation or criticism is often avoided in favor of indirect communication. For instance, instead of outright refusing an invitation, a Southerner might offer a vague excuse or express regret at being unable to attend, sparing the feelings of the host while still declining the invitation.

4. Challenges to Honor: Southern culture host's feelings honor and reputation, particularly among men. Insults or challenges to one's honor can provoke aggressive responses, as individuals seek to defend their reputation and maintain their standing within the community. This can sometimes escalate to verbal or physical confrontations.

5. Gender and Aggression: The paper discusses how gender norms in Southern culture shape patterns of aggression. Men often feel compelled to respond aggressively to perceived insults or challengesstrongly emphasizes to uphold their masculine identity. This can contribute to a culture of machismo and dominance, where aggression is seen as a necessary component of male honor.

Crawford and Novak- Chapter 5

include examples illustrating how group processes and structures shape individual behavior and social interactions. This involve scenarios such as group decision-making, social conformity experiments, or observations of how social norms develop within different types of groups.

Sections:

1. Introduction to Group Processes: This section provides an overview of the key concepts and theories related to group dynamics. It define terms such as groups, roles, norms, cohesion, and leadership, and discuss their importance in understanding social behavior.

2. Formation and Development of Groups: Explores how groups are formed and how they evolve over time. This section discusses factors influencing group formation, stages of group development, and the dynamics of group socialization.

3. Group Structure and Organization: Discusses the internal organization of groups, including roles, status, and power dynamics. Its examines different types of groups, such as primary groups (e.g., family) and secondary groups (e.g., organizations), and how their structures vary.

4. Group Dynamics and Interaction: Examines how individuals interact within groups and how group processes influence behavior. This sections cover topics such as communication patterns, decision-making processes, conformity, and conflict resolution.

5. Conformity and Deviance in Groups: Explores the pressures to conform to group norms and the consequences of deviating from them. It discusses classic conformity experiments like the Asch conformity studies and explore how social norms influence individual behavior.

6. Leadership and Influence: Discusses the role of leaders in shaping group dynamics and achieving group goals. It examines different leadership styles, theories of leadership effectiveness, and the sources of leaders' power and influence.

Crawford and Novak- Chapter 7

examples illustrating how individuals construct their self-concept and navigate their identities within various social contexts. This involves personal narratives, experiences of identity development, or observations of how individuals negotiate their identities in interactions with others.

1. Introduction to Self and Identity: This section provides an overview of the concepts of self and identity in sociology. It discusses how individuals perceive themselves, the role of identity in social interactions, and the significance of self-awareness for understanding human behavior.

2. The Social Construction of Identity: Explores how identities are socially constructed and shaped by cultural norms, social institutions, and interactions with others. This section discusses concepts such as socialization, social roles, and the influence of social structures on identity formation.

3. Self-Concept and Self-Esteem: Discusses how individuals develop their self-concepts and evaluate themselves. It examines factors that contribute to self-esteem, such as social comparisons, feedback from others, and cultural norms of worthiness.

4. Identity Development: Examines the process of identity development across the lifespan. This section draws on theories such as Erikson's stages of psychosocial development or Marcia's theory of identity statuses to explain how individuals form and refine their identities over time.

5. Social Identity and Group Membership: Explores the role of social identity in shaping individuals' sense of self. It discusses concepts such as in group and out group categorization, social identity theory, and the influence of group membership on identity formation.

6. Identity Negotiation and Presentation: Discusses how individuals negotiate their identities in interactions with others and present themselves to different audiences. This section examines strategies for identity management, impression management, and the impact of social expectations on self-presentation.

Crawford and Novak- Chapter 8

include examples illustrating how emotions influence social interactions and shape individuals' experiences within social contexts. This involves scenarios such as emotional expressions in public spaces, emotional contagion within groups, or the role of emotions in interpersonal relationships.

1. Introduction to Emotions and Social Life: This section provides an overview of the role of emotions in social interactions. It discusses the importance of emotions for understanding human behavior and the ways in which emotions are socially constructed and regulated.

2. The Sociology of Emotions: Explores sociological perspectives on emotions, including theories that emphasize the social and cultural factors shaping emotional experiences. This discusses theories such as symbolic interactionism, social constructionism, and the sociology of emotions.

3. Emotions and Identity: Discusses how emotions influence the construction and negotiation of social identities. It examines how individuals' emotional experiences contribute to the formation of identity categories such as gender, race, and social class.

4. Emotions in Social Interaction: Examines the role of emotions in shaping social interactions and relationships. This discusses emotional expression, emotional communication, and the ways in which emotions can both facilitate and disrupt social interactions.

5. Emotions and Social Institutions: Explores how emotions intersect with social institutions such as family, education, work, and religion. It discusses how emotions are regulated and expressed within institutional contexts and the ways in which institutions shape emotional experiences.

6. Emotional Labor: Discusses the concept of emotional labor, which refers to the management of emotions as part of paid work. This section examines the emotional demands of various occupations and the strategies individuals use to perform emotional labor effectively.

Lovaglia- Chapter 5

The main example in Chapter 5 is a practical scenario where an individual is trying to convince a group of colleagues to embrace a new project or idea. This real-life situation is used to demonstrate how various interactions and communication strategies can be effectively employed to influence others' opinions and decisions.

1. Understanding Influence Dynamics: This section introduces the concept of influence and its importance in interpersonal interactions. It discusses how influence operates in various social contexts and the factors contributing to its effectiveness.

2. Principles of Persuasion: Here, the chapter explores fundamental principles of persuasion, such as reciprocity, consistency, social proof, liking, authority, and scarcity. It discusses how these principles can be applied to influence others' behavior and decision-making processes.

3. Communication Strategies: This section delves into effective communication strategies for enhancing influence. It covers techniques such as storytelling, framing, using persuasive language, and nonverbal cues to convey messages persuasively.

4. Understanding Resistance: The chapter addresses the phenomenon of resistance to persuasion and explores reasons why people may resist influence attempts. It discusses factors such as reactance, skepticism, and counterarguments that can impede persuasion efforts.

5. Overcoming Resistance: Here, the focus shifts to strategies for overcoming resistance and increasing receptivity to persuasion. It examines approaches such as building rapport, addressing objections, and providing compelling evidence to counter resistance effectively.

6. Ethical Considerations: The final section is dedicated to ethical considerations in influence and persuasion. It underlines the crucial role of transparency, honesty, and respect for others' autonomy when attempting to influence their decisions or behaviors. This section is designed to make the readers aware of the ethical implications of their persuasive actions.

Throughout the chapter, the main example of persuading colleagues to adopt a new project or idea illustrates the application of influence principles and communication strategies in real-world scenarios. The sections provide insights into persuasion dynamics, including its challenges and potential solutions, while highlighting the ethical responsibilities involved in seeking to influence others.

Lovaglia- Chapter 6

involve a scenario where an individual or group attempts to persuade others to adopt a particular belief, attitude, or course of action. This includes persuasive campaigns in advertising, political persuasion, or convincing stakeholders to support a business initiative.

1. Introduction to Persuasion: This section provides an overview of persuasion as a social phenomenon and its importance in various contexts. It discusses the definition of persuasion and its role in influencing people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

2. The Psychology of Persuasion: delve into the psychological principles underlying persuasion. This includes theories such as the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) or the heuristic-systematic model (HSM), which explain how people process persuasive messages and the factors that influence their receptivity to persuasion.

3. Factors Affecting Persuasion: This section examines the various factors that influence the effectiveness of persuasive communication. It covers elements such as message content, source credibility, audience characteristics, and the context in which the persuasion occurs.

4. Persuasive Strategies and Techniques: This part of the chapter explores different strategies and techniques used in persuasive communication. This includes tactics such as appeals to emotion, social proof, authority, scarcity, and consistency, as well as the use of rhetorical devices and persuasion tactics in public speaking.

5. Resisting Persuasion: the focus shifts to the phenomenon of resistance to persuasion and the strategies people use to resist persuasive attempts. This includes resist discussing concepts such as reactance, skepticism, counterarguments, and inoculation theory, which explains how people consistency, and to persuasion through exposure to weak arguments.

6. Ethical Considerations in Persuasion: The final section addresses ethical considerations in persuasive communication. It discusses the importance of honesty, transparency, and respect for the autonomy of others when attempting to persuade them, as well as the potential for manipulation and coercion in persuasive tactics.

Lovaglia- Chapter 7

revolve around navigating interpersonal roles and positions within a workplace environment. This includes situations such as adapting to a new job, establishing authority as a leader, collaborating with colleagues, or dealing with workplace conflicts.

1. Introduction to Workplace Dynamics: This section not only provides an overview of the dynamics within a workplace but also highlights the benefits of understanding one's role and relationships within the organizational structure. By grasping these dynamics, you can navigate your workplace with confidence and efficiency.

2. Understanding Organizational Culture: This chapter delves into organizational culture and its impact on workplace behavior and interactions. It doesn't just explore the hierarchical structure of workplaces and the dynamics of power and authority. It also emphasizes the crucial role of communication in effectively navigating these dynamics. By mastering communication, you can influence and shape these dynamics to your advantage how cultural norms, values, and expectations influence individuals' experiences within the organization.

3. Navigating Hierarchies and Power Dynamics: This section explores the hierarchical structure of workplaces and the dynamics of power and authority. Ites address topics such as leadership styles, organizational hierarchies, and strategies for effectively navigating power dynamics.

4. Communication and Collaboration: Focuses on the importance of effective communication and collaboration in the workplace. This section covers topics such as interpersonal communication skills, teamwork, conflict resolution, and building positive working relationships.

5. Career Development and Advancement: Explores strategies for career growth and advancement within the workplace. It sinclude discussions on setting career goals, seeking opportunities for professional development, and navigating career paths within the organization.

6. Workplace Ethics and Professionalism: Addresses ethical considerations and professionalism in the workplace. This section discusses topics such as workplace integrity, ethical decision-making, and maintaining professional standards in interactions with colleagues and clients.

7. Work-Life Balance and Well-being: Concludes with a discussion on work-life balance and well-being. It covers strategies for managing stress, maintaining a healthy work-life balance, and promoting employee well-being in the workplace culture.

Lovaglia- Chapter 8

involve a scenario where individuals confront their own biases and prejudices. This includes experiences where people become aware of their prejudiced attitudes or engage in introspection to understand the origins of their biases.

1. Introduction to Prejudice: This chapter begins by introducing the concept of prejudice and its prevalence in society. It then discusses how prejudice manifests in various forms, such as racial, gender, or religious bias, and its impact on individuals and social interactions.

2. Psychological Mechanisms of Prejudice: This section delves into the psychological mechanisms underlying prejudice. It explores concepts such as social categorization, in-group favoritism, out-group derogation, and the role of stereotypes in shaping prejudiced attitudes.

3. Socialization and Cultural Influences: discuss the role of socialization and cultural factors in shaping prejudiced attitudes. It examines how upbringing, social norms, media portrayals, and societal institutions contribute to the development and reinforcement of prejudice.

4. Implicit Bias and Unconscious Prejudice: Explores the concept of implicit bias and unconscious prejudice. This section discuss research findings demonstrating how individuals can hold biases without conscious awareness and the implications of implicit bias for behavior and decision-making.

5. Individual Differences in Prejudice: Focuses on individual differences in the expression and endorsement of prejudiced attitudes. Its examine factors such as personality traits, social identity, and socio-economic status that influence the likelihood of holding prejudiced beliefs.

6. Consequences of Prejudice: Addresses the negative consequences of prejudice for individuals, groups, and society as a whole. This section discusses how prejudice contributes to discrimination, inequality, and social conflict, as well as its psychological effects on both targets and perpetrators of prejudice.

7. Strategies for Reducing Prejudice: reducing prejudice and promoting social inclusion. It cover approaches such as intergroup contact, perspective-taking, education, and advocacy for social justice as means to combat prejudice and promote tolerance and understanding.

Self and Identity- from elc- Self as object

Self concept: the totality of an individual’s thoughts and feeling with the self as the object

Self esteem: the evaluative component of the self-concept

Self and Identity- from elc- Personality, Self & Identity

Personality: an individual’s characteristic patterns of thought, emotion, and behavior, together with the psychological mechanisms- hidden or not- behind those patterns

Self: the individual as source and object of reflexive behavior

Identity: a source of self-meaning

maybe positional (role-based) or dispositional

Role: a set of expectations associated with occupancy of a position

Position: a designated location in a social system

Self and Identity- from elc- Self over Historical Time in Western Culture

Identity in Medieval Europe: Rigidly structured, single transformations, religion, literature

Reformation/ Renaissance: breakdown of the feudal system- increased mobility, variation in life outcomes, religious choices

Self and Identity- from elc- Individualism and Collectivism

Individualism and collectivism concern how individuals relate to their groups

Individualism is a philosophy of life stressing the priority of individual needs over group needs, a preference for loosely knit social relationships, and a desire to be relatively autonomous of others’ influence

Collectivism is a philosophy of life stressing the priority of group needs over individual needs, a preference for tightly-knit social relationships, and a willingness to submit to the influence of one’s group

Researchers from individualist cultures also tend to focus more on the individual, whereas researchers from collectivist cultures tend to place more emphasis on the group. This leads to differences in the scientific understanding of ourselves in different cultures.

Self and Identity- from elc- Identity theory

Structuralism

• Emphasizes the power of social structure

• social structure—> behavior

Symbolic Interactionism

• emphasizes human agency, creativity, spontaneity

• behavior —> social structure

These approaches are connected through the self

• Social structure —> self structure—> behavior

• commitment —> salience —> behavior

• Structural commitment —> identity salience

  • extensivity- number of network ties predicted on an identity

  • insensitivity- the importance of network ties predicted on an identity

Self and Identity- from elc- Social Identity Theory

• Social categories

  • into which one falls

  • with which one feels belonging

• social categories

  • provide definitions of self that are part of the self-concept

• membership is represented in the mind as identities that prescribe

  • what one should think

  • how one should feel

  • how one should behave

• identity representations contain an evaluative component that influences self-esteem

• Social identities separate into

  • us vs. them

• motivation to maintain in-group/ out-group comparisons that favor self (Own group)

• two underlying cognitive processes:

  • social categorization

    • sharpens intergroup boundaries

    • assigns people to categories

  • self-enhancement

    • in-group norms

    • stereotypes

Affect Control Theory- elc

A mathematical theory of social interaction

• links culture to local interactions

• quantification of linguistic culture

• predicts behaviors, emotions, attributions

provides a social amount of individual emotion, behavior, attributions

symbolic interactionist roots

• people create local realities during interaction by invoking symbols that import meaning from the larger culture

• actors attempt to maintain those meanings by choosing behaviors that reaffirm initial cultural sentiments

Affect Control Theory- elc

A metric for measuring culture: EPA and fundamental sentiments

A system for predicting impression change: Impression, formation, equations, and transient impressions

Affect Control principle: Deflection, reduction, and control system

Affect Control Theory- elc- Impression Change Equations

9 equations predict the EPA of an Actor, a behavior, and an object-person after an event in the form of an Actor Behaves toward an Object-person

A’e = -0.98 + .468Ae - .015A p - .015Aa + .425Be + -.069Bp - .106Ba +.055O e - .020O p -
.001O a + .048A e Be + .130 Be O e + .027A pBp + .068BpO p + .007Aa Ba - .038A e Bp -
.010Ae Ba + .013A pBe - .014A pOa - .058Be O p - .070BpOe - .002BpO a + .010Ba O e
+.014Ba O p + .018Ap BpOp

Stability term

• actors seem good when they occupy positive identities

Affect Control Theory- elc- Affect Control Principle

• Control system (e.g. a climate control system)

  • Reference state-cultural sentiments (thermostat setting)

  • observed state-situated meanings (thermostat reading)

  • response- behavior or reinterpretation (Labeling) (heat or A/C)

• affect control principle:

  • individuals behave in ways that maintain their affective expectations generated by their definitions of the situation

Practice quiz questions

Based on the equation below, which of the following statements is true?

A_e’ = - .098 + .468A_e - .015A_p - .015A_a + .425B_e - .069B_p - .106B_a +.055O_e - .020O_p - .001O_a
... + .130B_eO_e ... - .058B_eO_p ...

Interacting with a nice Other makes an Actor seem nicer

Practice questions:

Match the terms in the following equation with the best interpretation below.

A_e’ = - .098 + .468A_e - .015A_p - .015A_a + .425B_e - .069B_p - .106B_a +.055O_e - .020O_p - .001O_a
... + .130B_eO_e ... - .058B_eO_p ...

.425Be- 2) an actor seems nicer when behaving nicely toward someone

.058BeOp- 4) An actor seems nicer when behaving nicely to weak others

.468Ae- 1) An actor seems nicer when operating in a nice identity

.130BeOe- 3) Behaving unpleasantly to a bad other

Practice questions:

Affect control theory's predictive power rests on the pragmatists' idea that people try to reduce existential uncertainty by maintaining social and cultural meanings once they are activated.  Which of the following elements of the theory is most closely linked to this?

The affect control principle

Practice questions:

In affect control theory, the culturally shared meanings that people hold toward labels that describe people and actions are called.

sentiments