Geddes D. & Lindebaum D.
European Management Journal, 38: 5, 708-722.
Publication year: 2020

Strategic emotion expression constitutes a common-thread phenomenon in emotion regulation and emotion management
research across multiple behavioral and social science disciplines. Despite this prevalence, less is known
about the “why” behind these observable emotion displays within organizations. Exemplary research is reviewed
reflecting the variety of motives behind strategic emotion displays. We argue that significant theoretical opportunity
exists with acknowledging motivational differences underlying expressed emotion at work. Our narrative
review helps generate a comprehensive and multilevel taxonomy of individual motives (personal and interpersonal),
organizational emotion display rules or norms, and sociocultural emotionologies that reflect dynamic
societal expectations and conventions regarding appropriate emotion displays. Strategic emotion expression in
organizations reveals the intersection of self- and other-imposed prescriptions and/or restrictions on emotional
episodes and distinguishes the nature and purpose of emotive behaviors at work.

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