Group membership, social rules, and power: A social-psychological perspective on emotional communication

Abstract

This paper reviews research on the language and communication of emotion in interpersonal situations between people in different social groups. Three main areas are reviewed: self-disclosures between people of different ages or different social status, conflict in close relationships, including the tendency of men to withdraw and women to engage conflict; and assertive communication. All these contexts are highly rule-governed, and power is also a highly salient variable in all of them. Overall, the literature suggests that people communicate their emotions in such difficult contexts using strategies that maximise their own comfort and sense of power. These strategies are closely tied to sociostructural power differences.