Understanding emotional labor at the cultural level

Abstract

Emotional labor theory was developed in the American context, but scholars have attempted to apply the framework in other countries. What does it mean to study emotional labor in cross-cultural contexts? How emotion is displayed, received, and managed are critical dimensions of emotional labor, yet they can differ depending on the context within which they take place. In this chapter, we examine how cultural scholarship informs specific dimensions of emotional labor studies. The discussion provides a guide for researchers as they conduct emotional labor research outside their cultural background, as well as those who wish to contrast emotional labor findings between differing cultures.