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Disentangling the components of surface acting in emotion work: experiencing emotions may be as important as regulating them
Author(s) -
Semmer Norbert K.,
Messerli Laurence,
Tschan Franziska
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of applied social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.822
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1559-1816
pISSN - 0021-9029
DOI - 10.1111/jasp.12364
Subject(s) - psychology , feeling , social psychology , emotion work , negative emotion , quality (philosophy) , control (management) , cognitive psychology , management , economics , philosophy , epistemology
Measures of surface acting (SA) do not distinguish between feeling emotions and regulating emotions. SA typically involves negative emotions; these often persist and may, at least partly, be responsible for the effects of SA on well‐being. In two diary studies and one survey study, negative emotions felt predicted lower well‐being, and controlling for them rendered the effect of suppressing their display insignificant. Additionally, in Study 2, SA predicted higher interaction quality once emotions felt were controlled. Results indicate that the effects of SA are, at least partly, due to emotions felt when negative emotions are suppressed. Therefore, research should control for emotions felt and focus more strongly on the emotions themselves and their triggers.