Date of Award
5-2008
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Legacy Department
Applied Psychology
Committee Chair/Advisor
Britt, Thomas W
Committee Member
McFarland , Lynn A
Committee Member
Moore , D. Dewayne
Abstract
The present study examined the motivational and performance consequences of emotional labor by having participants respond to multiple transactions in a simulated banking environment. Type of acting strategy (surface versus deep) and customer anger (high versus low) were manipulated to examine ego depletion and performance over time. Although prior research has examined these independent variables, no research has examined the relationships among the variables of interest over time. Study participants were randomly assigned to either one of four experimental groups (surface acting X angry customer, surface acting X non-angry customer, deep acting X angry customer, deep acting X non-angry customer) to interact with a customer to complete four simulated banking transactions, or to one of two offset control groups where they wrote about prior work experiences. After interacting with the customers or writing about an experience, participants completed both a self-report and handgrip squeeze measure of ego depletion. Results from the experimental groups revealed a significant three-way interaction between measurement occasion, acting method, and customer anger for the handgrip measure of ego depletion. Deep actors interacting with angry customers persisted in squeezing the handgrip over the course of the four measurement occasions. All other groups released the grip quicker with each occasion. The handgrip measure of ego depletion also significantly predicted transaction times. A discussion of the results as well as limitations and directions for future research are also presented.
Recommended Citation
Mckibben, Eric, "Smile, but don't Wear Yourself Out Doing So: Emotional Labor, Ego Depletion, Customer Anger, and Performance Over Time" (2008). All Theses. 309.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_theses/309