Introduction of Lynn Smith-Lovin: Recipient of the 2006 Cooley-Mead Award

Beyond the incredible substantive contributions of this research, this early work was notable for its departure from the highly cognitive, rational models of similar processes that were dominant at the time and for its demonstration of how affective processes could be modeled in systematic ways, using analytic tools similar to those used in other core areas of our discipline. Lynn Smith-Lovin has made efforts to connect us to other intellectual traditions by conducting bridging work that connects symbolic interactionism to group processes theories (especially, status characteristics theory and exchange theory), organizational theories (especially organizational ecology), and theories in psychology.