Affect control theory

Affect control theory is way of looking at how people act and think in different situations. It helps us to understand why people might do or say something, or how they might feel. It's based on the belief that we all want to maintain our social relationships in a positive, pleasant way. To do this, we all have a certain idea in our minds of how people 'should' act in different situations. Affect control theory looks at how we might change our behaviour—or our thoughts or feelings—so that it matches the expected behaviour and people are happy in the social relationship.