Skip to main content
Search
Search
    Quick Search anywhere
    Quick search in Citations
Advanced Search
Skip main navigationClose Drawer MenuOpen Drawer Menu
Previous article
Next article
Research Note

Does Autonomy Increase or Decrease Negative Emotional Displays From Service Workers?

A Test of Competing Hypotheses

Published Online:July 08, 2016https://doi.org/10.1027/1866-5888/a000163

Abstract

Abstract. While previous research has examined the consequences of emotional regulation, less research has focused on genuine emotional expressions in the workplace. Two theoretically grounded, yet opposing, hypotheses were tested in a diverse sample of 103 service employees. It was proposed that autonomy could either (a) enhance the number of genuine negative emotional displays in irritable employees, consistent with the behavioral concordance model, or (b) reduce the number of these displays, consistent with the limited capacity model of self-regulation. Moderated hierarchical regression analyses supported the latter hypothesis. For employees with an irritable disposition, autonomy appears to serve as a buffer against job demands, reducing negative emotional expressions. The occupational health implications of a research focus on genuine emotional displays are discussed.

References

  • Barrick, M. R. & Mount, M. K. (1993). Autonomy as a moderator of the relationships between the Big Five personality dimensions and job performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 78, 111–118. doi: 10.1037/0021-9010.78.1.111 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Brotheridge, C. M. & Grandey, A. A. (2002). Emotional labor and burnout: Comparing two perspectives of “people work”. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 60, 17–39. doi: 10.1006/jvbe.2001.1815 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Buunk, B. P. & Verhoeven, K. (1991). Companionship and support at work: A microanalysis of the stress-reducing features of social interaction. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 12, 243–258. doi: 10.1207/s15324834basp1203_1 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Cheung, F. Y. & Tang, C. S. (2009). The influence of emotional intelligence and affectivity on emotional labor strategies at work. Journal of Individual Differences, 30, 75–86. doi: 10.1027/1614-0001.30.2.75 First citation in articleLink, Google Scholar

  • Côté, S. & Moskowitz, D. S. (1998). On the dynamic covariation between interpersonal behavior and affect: Prediction from neuroticism, extraversion, and agreeableness. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75, 1032–1046. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.75.4.1032 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Diefendorff, J. M. & Richard, E. M. (2003). Antecedents and consequences of emotional display rule perceptions. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88, 284–294. doi: 10.1037/0021-9010.88.2.284 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Glomb, T. M. & Tews, M. J. (2004). Emotional labor: A conceptualization and scale development. Journal of Vocational Behavior, , 1–23. doi: 10.1016/S0001-8791(03)00038-1 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Grandey, A. A. (2000). Emotional regulation in the workplace: A new way to conceptualize emotional labor. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 5, 95–110. doi: 10.1037/1076-8998.5.1.95 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Mischel, W. (1977). On the future of personality measurement. The American Psychologist, 32, 246–254. doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.32.4.246 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Moskowitz, D. S. & Côté, S. (1995). Do interpersonal traits predict affect? A comparison of three models. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69, 915–924. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.69.5.915 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Muraven, M. & Baumeister, R. F. (2000). Self-regulation and depletion of limited resources: Does self-control resemble a muscle? Psychological Bulletin, 126, 247–259. doi: I0.I037//0033-2909.126.2.24 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Muraven, M., Rosman, H. & Gagné, M. (2007). Lack of autonomy and self-control: Performance contingent rewards lead to greater depletion. Motivation and Emotion, 31, 322–330. doi: 10.1007/s11031-007-9073-x First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Patterson, M. G., West, M. A., Shackleton, V. J., Dawson, J. F., Lawthom, R., Maitlis, S., … Wallace, A. M. (2005). Validating the organizational climate measure: Link to managerial practices, productivity and innovation. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 26, 379–408. doi: 10.1002/job.312 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Paulhus, D. L. & Vazire, S. Robins R. W., Fraley R. C. & Krueger R. F., (2007). The self-report method. Handbook of research methods in personality London, UK: Guilford. 224–239. First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Pugh, S. D. (2001). Service with a smile: Emotional contagion in the service encounter. Academy of Management Journal, 44, 1018–1027. doi: 10.2307/3069445 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Schmidt, K. H. & Diestel, S. (2011). Differential effects of decision latitude and control on the job demands-strain relationship: A cross-sectional survey study among elderly care nursing staff. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 48, 307–317. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2010.04.003 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Tett, R. P. & Burnett, D. D. (2003). A personality trait-based interactionist model of job performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88, 500–517. doi: 10.1037/0021-9010.88.3.500 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Trougakos, J. P., Hideg, I., Cheng, B. H. & Beal, D. J. (2014). Lunch breaks unpacked: The role of autonomy as a moderator of recovery during lunch. Academy of Management Journal, 57, 405–421. doi: 10.5465/amj.2011.1072 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Tsai, W. C. (2001). Determinants and consequences of employee displayed positive emotions. Journal of Management, 27, 497–512. doi: 10.1177/014920630102700406 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar

  • Watson, D., Clark, L. A. & Tellegen, A. (1988). Development and validation of brief measures of positive negative affect: The PANAS scales. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54, 1063–1070. doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.54.6.1063 First citation in articleCrossref, Google Scholar