Emotions as Causal Mechanisms and Strategic Resources for Action in the Study of Professions, Professionals, and Professional Service Firms

Abstract Professions are imbued with values that form the core of a professional’s identity. When professionals are faced with internal or external contradictions or affirmations of this identity, positive and negative emotions ensue, often fostering agency. While most research on professions focuses on cognitive and structural arguments to explain professional agency, we show the added benefit of examining emotions as (1) causal mechanisms fostering action and (2) strategic resources for action. We illustrate these ideas with data from a field study on French doctors specializing in reproductive medicine and dealing with the restrictive regulation on assisted medical procreation. We identify six research areas that would benefit from an explicit focus on emotions and suggest specific research questions and directions for future work for each.