Emotional Experiences and Regulation in the Workplace: The Effects of Culture

Sally Johnson,Habibie Ibrahim,Philip Gilligan

doi:10.32890/jps.19.2016.11535

Sally Johnson, Habibie Ibrahim + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.32890/jps.19.2016.11535

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Abstract

The present research aimed to investigate the experienced emotions and emotional regulation in the workplace particularly in child and family social work practice in a Malaysian context. The interrelationship between emotion and emotional regulation and cultural context were explored. The overall research strategy was ethnographic. The researchers used a mixture of methods including individual interviews, participant observation, and a questionnaire. The research was conducted in three locations in Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur, Petaling and Kota Kinabalu. Participants consisted of child protectors and rehabilitation officers from the Malaysia Welfare Department and medical social workers in hospitals. This paper presents an analysis of individual interviews in the three locations. A total of twenty-five interviews were conducted (12 male, 13 female; age range 29-51). Data were analysed using thematic analysis . The research findings show that societal and professional cultures have influenced how child social workers regulate their experienced emotion when dealing with clients.

Highlights

Psychological theories of emotions are limited in scope and content (Crawford, Kippax, Onyx, Gault & Benton, 1992). Crawford et al (1992) note that such limitations are reinforced by the ways that psychologists have chosen to study emotions
Issues that can be seen in cultural beliefs are the types of emotions that can be felt or not, that may be expressed or not, and the belief that emotions can be controlled or not, which reflect the issue of ideology of emotions in the setting of child and family practice
This article aimed to investigate the use of emotions and emotional regulation in child and family practice in a Malaysian context

Summary

Introduction

Psychological theories of emotions are limited in scope and content (Crawford, Kippax, Onyx, Gault & Benton, 1992). Crawford et al (1992) note that such limitations are reinforced by the ways that psychologists have chosen to study emotions. Crawford et al (1992) note that such limitations are reinforced by the ways that psychologists have chosen to study emotions. They add that even social constructionists have chosen methods such as questionnaires which fail to capture much of the richness and complexity of emotional experiences. Thoits (1989) stated that cultural beliefs about emotions include the question of what should be felt or not, be expressed or not, ideology about emotions, common understanding about the causes, consequences and results of emotional experiences and interactions, beliefs about emotions that they can be controlled or not, and circumstances (determined by social contexts) from the requirement of society (expectations) to conform to emotions. Issues that can be seen in cultural beliefs (i.e. the focused area) are the types of emotions that can be felt or not, that may be expressed or not, and the belief that emotions can be controlled or not, which reflect the issue of ideology of emotions in the setting of child and family practice (i.e. working relationships and decisionmaking processes)

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