Case: Experiencing Emotional Labor

Have you ever been forced to smile at someone who was annoying you? Have you ever had to be calm when you felt very afraid? If so, you have probably engaged in emotional labor. The purpose of this exercise is to examine how emotional labor can affect us in different ways and the factors that impact the toll that emotional labor can take on us

STEPS: 1. At the beginning of class, assemble into teams of six to eight people.

2. During the next 30 minutes of class, each individual will be required to follow emotional display rules for one of the following emotions:

a. Happiness

b. Anger

c. Compassion and caring

d. Fear Assign the display rules so that at least one person is displaying each emotion.

3. Each person is to display his or her assigned emotion during the next 30 minutes of class lecture or activity-no matter what he or she actually feels!

4. At the end of the 30 minutes (or when instructed by your teacher), re-form into groups and address the following questions:

a. How difficult was it for you to display your assigned emotion? Was your assigned emotion different from how you actually felt? Did your felt emotions begin to change to coincide with your displayed emotion?

b. To what extent did the type of emotion required (e.g., happiness versus anger) influence your reaction to this exercise?

c. How much longer could you have continued displaying your assigned emotion? Why?

5. Appoint a spokesperson to present the group's conclusions to the entire class.