Central to all theories of emotional labor is the idea that individuals follow emotional display rules that specify the appropriate expression of emotions on the job. This investigation examined antecedents and consequences of emotional display rule perceptions. Full-time working adults (N = 152) from a variety of occupations provided self-report data, and supervisors and coworkers completed measures pertaining to the focal employees. Results using structural equation modeling revealed that job-based interpersonal requirements, supervisor display rule perceptions, and employee extraversion and neuroticism were predictive of employee display rule perceptions. Employee display rule perceptions, in turn, were related to self-reported job satisfaction and coworker ratings of employees' emotional displays on the job. Finally, neuroticism had direct negative relationships with job satisfaction and coworker ratings of employees' emotional displays.

 

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the role that emotions play in the workplace (Arvey, Renz, & Watson, 1998; Fisher & Ashkanasy, 2000). An emerging area of emotion research focuses on emotional labor, or the management of emotions as part of the work role (Hochschild, 1983). Central to all theories of emotional labor is the idea that individuals follow display rules (Ekman, 1973) that spell out which emotions are appropriate in particular situations, as well as how those emotions should be expressed to others (Ashforth & Humphrey, 1993; Grandey, 2000; Hochschild, 1983; Morris & Feldman, 1996). Emotional labor entails following these display rules regardless of one's felt emotions (Grandey, 2000). Although display rules play a central role in emotion management at work, little research has systematically investigated the factors that predict employee perceptions of display rules. In addition, the relationships between display rule perceptions and individual and organizational outcomes have received...