A motivational approach to emotional labor: Examining the link between goal orientation and emotional labor strategies

Mahsa Esmaeilikia and Markus Groth

Journal of Management & Organization, 2022, vol. 28, issue 6, 1280-1300

Abstract: Drawing on goal orientation theory, in this study, we examine how an individual's motivational approach relates to the use of two common emotional labor strategies: surface acting and deep acting. In addition, we examine the role of self-efficacy as a mediating mechanism through which different goal orientations are related to different emotional labor strategies. To test our hypotheses, 262 U.S. full-time working adults from a variety of service occupations were surveyed. Consistent with the predictions of goal orientation theory, our results show that learning-oriented service employees tend to use deep acting, while performance-oriented service employees use both emotional labor strategies. Our findings also show that emotional labor self-efficacy plays a mediating role in the relationship between motivational approach and emotional labor strategy use.

Date: 2022
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:cup:jomorg:v:28:y:2022:i:6:p:1280-1300_8

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