David R. Heise – författare

Expressive Order introduces affect control theory to lay readers of sociology, and additionally 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. Emotions signal how the process of confirming sentiments is going for each individual. The theory explains behaviors, emotions, social labeling, and personality attributions in a wide variety of social contexts – including intimate relations, work-world interactions, courtrooms, and international relations.

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, including undergraduates in and out of the social sciences.

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 derivations clarify the theory''s assumptions and reasoning, as only mathematics can.

Part 3 of Expressive Order describes the research program associated with the theory and the computer simulation software that is used in research. This part of the book offers a jump start for individuals wishing to use affect control theory in their own research.

The book begins with a basic overview of cross-cultural measurement of sentiments and presents innovative and sophisticated analyses of measurement issues and of homogeneity among respondents. Subsequent chapters explore topics that are at the core of successful data collection and analysis in culture studies, including:

The role of bipolar scales and Internet data collection in measuring sentiments

Key methodological variables that determine the quality of quantitative data, including measurement errors, validity, and reliability

New approaches to reliability and several new methods of assessing a respondent''s degree of inculcation into group culture

Sampling, coverage, nonresponse, and measurement errors, with an in-depth discussion of their occurrence in culture surveys, their impact assessments, and how current measurement techniques are constructed to help prevent these kinds of errors

Common problems often encountered in the acquisition and communication of data, including identifying error variances, interpreting gender differences in responses, and defining the difference between cultures and subcultures

Throughout the book, each topic is accompanied by a review of related methodological literature. For many of the presented concepts, the author includes a formal analysis of the related issues in measuring cultural norms and reports on analyses. Each chapter concludes with an organized list of major findings as well as an insightful outline of specific recommendations regarding practical problems in culture studies.

Surveying Cultures serves as a valuable supplemental book to courses on survey and research methods at the upper-undergraduate and graduate levels. It is also an excellent reference for researchers in the fields of sociology, anthropology, psychology, and political science.