Altercasting Theory

There are two types of Altercasting Theories. Manded Altercasting & Tact Altercasting.

Manded Altercasting refers to how we tell people who they are and how they are supposed to be by making their existing role salient/obvious by placing others in a particular role, by attributing a new identity or role to someone, or by asking people to play a role. An example would be a teacher-student relationship.

When a teacher steps into the room, you automatically know that your place in the classroom is a student. You're there to listen and to hear the teacher out because he/she knows a lot more than you do. You cannot just change roles. 

Another example would be the family relationship.

Your mother is more superior than you and you cannot just answer her back. Your role is to respect and honor her because you are her daughter/son.

Tact Altercasting on the other hand refers to how we put ourselves as senders in a role that "evokes" a natural counter-role for the other. Examples would be people's standing in society.

A teacher is known to teach students and being role models to others.

If you see them drink alcohol even outside of school, it would just ruin their image to students.

Another example would be priests and pastors.

They are known for being religious and Christ-like people. If people would see them do something wrong or out of the ordinary, people could judge them and stop listening to them.

These are roles that society has implied unto us. Going beyond them would mean people either judging us or accepting that fact.

(Definition Source: http://www.utwente.nl/cw/theorieenoverzicht/Theory%20clusters/Media,%20Culture%20and%20Society/Altercasting.doc/)