A TEACHER OR AN ACTOR? ON EMOTIONS AND THE EMOTIONAL LABOR AMONG TEACHERS: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

The teaching profession involves demands of various kinds as recently more and more space has been given to the emotional aspect that emerges from teaching. This trend stems from the awareness that teachers need to cope not only with pedagogical tasks but also with emotional burdens since teaching does not only involve pedagogical training as it carries many emotional aspects. In recent years, more and more studies address the issue of emotions in teaching. The concept of emotional labor refers to the ability to regulate emotions in an occupational setting. Studies on emotional labor among teachers have been conducted in the United States, in Europe and Asia. The concept of emotional work was first coined in 1983 by the American sociologist Arlie Hochschild. Two main techniques (strategies) have been identified: "surface acting" - the expression of an ideal emotion that is inconsistent with the authentic emotion and "deep acting" - turning the ideal emotion into an authentic emotion in order to match the expression of the emotions demanded by the organization. Based on studies that have indicated the relevance of emotional labor to teaching, this study seeks to review the topic of emotional labor and demonstrate a link between emotional labor and emotional regulation among teachers.