Emotional Labour Concepts and Characteristics

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary focus of surface acting in emotional labour?

Experiencing the emotion displayed

Managing expressions without changing feelings (correct)

Suppressing emotions completely

Evoking genuine emotions from within

Which method is NOT associated with deep acting according to Hochschild?

Inducing associated emotions

Trained imagination

Facial expression management (correct)

Exhorting feeling

What distinguishes deep acting from surface acting?

Deep acting does not comply with display rules.

Deep acting involves surface expression management.

Deep acting requires experiencing the emotion. (correct)

Deep acting relies on external verbal cues.

What strategy do managers use to address uncertainties related to emotional labour?

Manipulating displayed emotions for organizational interests. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes surface acting most accurately?

It is about presenting a facade to meet expectations. Signup and view all the answers

How does deep acting differ from simply performing in a role?

Deep acting includes a genuine effort to feel the emotions. Signup and view all the answers

What does 'trained imagination' in deep acting refer to?

Recalling memories to induce feelings. Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect is primarily managed during surface acting?

Expressive behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What does Hochschild's analogy between the factory worker and flight attendant primarily highlight?

The estrangement from the self in different types of labor. Signup and view all the answers

Which characteristic is frequently associated with the gendering of emotional labor?

Emotional sensitivity and kindness. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of labor does the content suggest is common between physical labor and emotional labor?

Both contribute to a form of estrangement from the self. Signup and view all the answers

What does the concept of gendered emotion refer to in the context of the content?

The specific emotions attributed to women within domestic roles. Signup and view all the answers

What is implied about 'women's work' in relation to emotional labor?

It is often undervalued and carries societal expectations. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of emotional labour according to Arlie Hochschild?

Managing feelings to create visible emotional displays. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following jobs is mentioned as requiring emotional labour?

Petrol attendant Signup and view all the answers

What term does Hochschild use to describe emotion management in unpaid work?

Emotion work Signup and view all the answers

How are feeling rules defined in the context of emotional labour?

Shared guidelines that dictate expected emotions in various situations. Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential outcome of employers regulating emotional activities of workers?

Standardized emotional responses towards clients. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes 'emotion work' in a private context?

It has use value rather than exchange value. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of emotional labour allows for worker supervision?

Publicly observable emotional displays. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about emotional labour is accurate?

Emotional labour can occur both in paid and unpaid work. Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by 'transmutation' in the context of the labour process?

The process of selling one’s labour to management. Signup and view all the answers

According to Hochschild, what are the three elements that the commercialization of emotions depends on?

Emotion work, feeling rules, and social exchange. Signup and view all the answers

What does emotional commodification imply for workers?

Workers’ emotions are regarded as assets by management. Signup and view all the answers

What role do feeling rules play in the commercialization of emotional labor?

They are specified in company manuals guiding emotional expressions. Signup and view all the answers

How does the control of emotions by management affect workers?

It compromises their identity and self-expression. Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of managing emotion work in the labour process?

It turns private emotional expressions into public acts. Signup and view all the answers

What is a key consequence of the commercialization of emotional labor on workplace dynamics?

Less negotiation in feeling rules between employees. Signup and view all the answers

What does Marx imply about labor in terms of commodification?

Labor entails both producing commodities and the worker as a commodity. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Emotional Labour Definition

Coined by Arlie Hochschild
Refers to the management of emotions to create a public display
Emotions are sold for a wage

Characteristics of Emotional Labour

Requires face-to-face or voice contact with the public
Worker must produce an emotional state in another
Employer regulates worker's emotional activities through training and supervision
Most jobs, paid or unpaid, have emotional labour requirements

Paid and Unpaid Emotional Labour

Occurs in both paid and unpaid work
Paid work is termed "emotion work" by Hochschild
Unpaid work is also referred to as "emotion work" or "emotion management"
Emotion work in the private context is defined as managing and presenting emotions

Feeling Rules

"Shared, latent rules" or situational guidelines for matching emotions to situations
Can be explicit or informal
Used by organizations to ensure adequate service is given to clients
Examples include "don't bring your problems to work" and "Batho pele"

Surface Acting and Deep Acting

Two ways service employees meet organizational demands:
- Surface acting: Managing expression rather than feeling, including facial expressions and body language to hide true feelings.
- Deep acting: Attempting to experience the emotion displayed, using imagination to evoke the desired feeling.

Commodified Labour

Management control strategies manipulate emotions for organizational interests like productivity, profitability, and performance.
Labour Process Theory highlights constant control and surveillance of the work process and worker by management.
When management sets rules about feelings and expressions:
- Workers have weaker rights to courtesy than customers
- Deep acting and surface acting become forms of labour sold
Commodification involves selling labour power, including emotions, for wages in the public sphere
The process of selling labourers' work to management is called "transmutation."

Commercialization of Emotional Labour

Three elements:
- Emotion work: Public act bought and sold
- Feeling rules: Managed by managerial manuals and staff handbooks
- Social exchange: Feeling rules negotiated through company manuals within the public domain of work
This has a cost on workers' identity, leading to alienation

Alienation

Hochschild compares emotional labour to physical labour using Marx's factory worker and a flight attendant
Both involve a form of estrangement from the self
Despite different types of labour, both cause alienation

Gender and Emotional Labour

Nursing is often seen as a "woman's job" involving "women's work."
This stems from the gendering of emotion and women's roles in the domestic sphere:
- Women are often expected to be nurturing, compassionate, and emotionally sensitive.
These "feminine" traits are valued in service roles and considered essential for caring for others.

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Description

Explore the definitions and characteristics of emotional labour as coined by Arlie Hochschild. This quiz delves into the nuances of emotional management in both paid and unpaid contexts, and the feeling rules that guide these interactions. Test your understanding of how emotions play a crucial role in the workplace.