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The Normalization of Problematic Emotion in Conversations Between Close Relational Partners: interpersonal Emotion Work
Author(s) -
Staske Shirley A.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
symbolic interaction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.874
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1533-8665
pISSN - 0195-6086
DOI - 10.1525/si.1998.21.1.59
Subject(s) - psychology , normalization (sociology) , emotion work , romance , social psychology , matching (statistics) , developmental psychology , cognitive psychology , sociology , psychoanalysis , statistics , mathematics , anthropology
This paper is based upon recent investigations into emotional talk between close relational partners. Analysis of conversations between romantic partners, same‐sex friends, and cross‐sex friends (which were videotaped and transcribed) illustrates conversants’ interactive work to “normalize” emotional experiences which are seen to be problematic. This was accomplished with the use of both direct strategies, which define the experience as a product of the ordinary human world, and indirect strategies, which included partner‐matching of the experience and the linking of the problematic emotion to larger, positive individual or relational processes.