THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF EMOTIONAL LABOR

Abstract

Sociologists have conceived of emotional labor as alienating. In-depth interviews with general investigative detectives revealed that even within the same occupation workers may find some emotional labor alienating, but other emotional labor bearable or even enjoyable. The detectives we studied disliked their encounters with victims, but enjoyed their encounters with criminals. The detectives discounted criminals' emotional displays as inauthentic, redefined their emotional labor as relevant to catching criminals, and turned the encounters into a game. They could not, however, transform their uncomfortable encounters with victims into a positive experience.