Solving the Riddle of Emotional Labor: How Display Rules and Emotive Intensity Interact

There is uncertainty among emotional labor researchers as to when emotive expression leads to positive work outcomes and when it does not. This study uses the circumplex model of affect to test whether the answer lies in the interaction of display rules and emotive intensity. The model postulates that emotive experiences are two-dimensional, with gradations from positive to negative affect and from low to high intensity. The analysis uses display rules of social work, a frequent occupation in government and nonprofit services, to compare enthusiasm (high intensity), empathy (medium intensity), and calmness (low intensity). Results produce differential effects on organizational commitment and emotional exhaustion. Emotive expression has a beneficial effect when arousal is intense. Higher intensity leads to more commitment and less exhaustion. We conclude that emotive intensity is a missing link in the relationship between emotional labor and work outcomes. Implications for supervision, training, and development are discussed.