Jesse Pappas

The Affective Regulation of Social Interaction

The recent publication of David Heises Expressive Order (2007) provides an occasion for discussing some of the key ideas in Affect Control Theory. The theory proposes that a few dimensions of affective meaning provide a common basis for interrelating personal identities and social actions. It holds that during interpersonal interactions, social behavior is continually regulated to maintain an affective tone compatible with whatever social roles or identities define the situation. We outline the intellectual history of the proposed dimensions and of the idea that each social action invites an action from the other that has a particular location along these dimensions. We also relate these ideas to the Affect-as-Information hypothesis, an approach that often guides research in psychology on the role of affect in regulating judgment and thought.

The interpersonal basis of stereotype-relevant self-views.

Recent research examining the interpersonal basis of self-stereotyping is considered from the perspective of Cognitive-Affective Personality System (CAPS) theory. The reviewed work shows that individuals tend to see themselves in a stereotypic manner when interacting with someone who engenders affiliative motivation and is thought to hold stereotypic views of their group. Evidence suggesting that this context-dependent self-stereotyping is extended temporally through future psychologically similar interactions and the invocation of significant others thought to endorse stereotypes is also discussed. These findings and the theoretical framework that stimulated them strongly resonate with the notion of if...then contingencies of the self articulated in CAPS theory. The implications of each viewpoint for the other are discussed.

True grit: Toward a culture of psychological preparedness in engineering education

The rigors of engineering education present each student with a unique set of academic and psychological challenges. Established interventional strategies are typically focused on enhancing academic - rather than psychological - preparedness, potentially leaving many students vulnerable to various demotivating factors. Participants in this special session will collaborate to develop a nucleus of ideas to inform the future development of psychological preparedness strategies - interventions specifically designed to facilitate productive processes such as self-efficacy, self-discipline, resilience, and motivation.