Affect control theory offers a rigorous and generative model of how individuals interpret and respond to social events through cultural lenses. Developed by David R. Heise, this theory is stated as a set of mathematical equations and enables researchers to use computer simulations to explore the predicted behaviors, emotions, and identity impressions of individuals interacting within and between cultures. These equations model affective meanings within a control system, capturing the way that individuals create and conserve their working understandings of social situations by managing affect. These equations are empirically grounded, and require specification from data collected within the cultures represented by the models.