Sentiment Formation in Social Interaction

Abstract

In the language of cybernetics, Affect Control Theory (ACT) proposes that sentiments about people, actions, and objects serve as reference signals for assessing impressions produced by social events. Individuals control impressions through their social actions, and in particular they construct interpersonal events in such a way as to generate impressions that confirm sentiments. In this indirect way, social interactions are shaped by individuals’ sentiments. However, sentiments have to develop at some point, and during the developmental period, social interaction presumably shapes sentiments rather than vice versa.