Willing and able to fake emotions: a closer examination of the link between emotional dissonance and employee well-being.

Item request has been placed! ×
Item request cannot be made. ×
loading   Processing Request
Read More Add to Saved list
  • Author(s): Pugh SD;Pugh SD; Groth M; Hennig-Thurau T
  • Source:
    The Journal of applied psychology [J Appl Psychol] 2011 Mar; Vol. 96 (2), pp. 377-90.
  • Publication Type:
    Journal Article
  • Language:
    English
  • Additional Information
    • Source:
      Publisher: American Psychological Association Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 0222526 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1939-1854 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00219010 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Appl Psychol Subsets: MEDLINE
    • Publication Information:
      Publication: Washington Dc : American Psychological Association
      Original Publication: Washington [etc.]
    • Subject Terms:
      Deception* ; Emotions* ; Job Satisfaction*; Burnout, Professional/*psychology ; Workplace/*psychology; Adult ; Cognitive Dissonance ; Female ; Humans ; Interpersonal Relations ; Self Concept
    • Abstract:
      Emotional dissonance resulting from an employee's emotional labor is usually considered to lead to negative employee outcomes, such as job dissatisfaction and emotional exhaustion. Drawing on Festinger's (1957) cognitive dissonance theory, we argue that the relationship between service employees' surface acting and job dissatisfaction and emotional exhaustion is moderated by 2 aspects of a service worker's self-concept: the importance of displaying authentic emotions (reflecting the self-concept's self-liking dimension) and the employee's self-efficacy when faking emotions (reflecting the self-competence dimension). A survey of 528 frontline employees from a wide variety of service jobs provides support for the moderating role of both self-concept dimensions, which moderate 3 out of 4 relationships. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed from the perspectives of cognitive dissonance and emotional labor theories.
      (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved.)
    • Publication Date:
      Date Created: 20101110 Date Completed: 20110804 Latest Revision: 20110322
    • Publication Date:
      20231215
    • Accession Number:
      10.1037/a0021395
    • Accession Number:
      21058805