Hochschild's Argumentative Analysis

Furthermore, this theorist attests to the commodified of said emotional exchange, as a part of contemporary work expectations. Hochschild uses the example of the social expectations placed upon a stewardess to smile and express warmth to passengers (Hochschild, 1979, p. 569, paras. 2, 3). To that end, the expectations of emotion work, which vary across social classes, are taught to children; thereby reproducing the sociocultural influences upon the experience, assessment, and expression of emotion, not to mention the reproduction of emotional social class structure (Hochschild, 1979, p. 552, para. 3; p. 572, para. 2). In a more expansive theoretic perspective, Kemper views emotions as being both socially produced, and socially controlled.

Furthermore, deep sorrow or grief is interpreted as `illness rather than emotion states. This connection between language and emotional experience is reflective of Hochschild’s theory which holds that emotional labels applied to the basic physiological experience not only mirror cultural and individual perception, but act to shape it (Hochschild, 2012, p. 233, footnote; p. 27 para. 2). Furthermore, this culture limits the expression of hostility, which is in direct contrast to the social norm in New Guinea, whereby venting aggression and aggressive impulses is encouraged (Shott, 1979, p. 1319, para. 2). Albeit all cultures may proscribe to emotional management, but the specific circumstance and emotion managed, is clearly determined by individual cultural and social

Kemper positions emotion as a mediating link between the meaning attached by an individual to emotion, and the social context through which that meaning is gained (Thoits, 1989, p. 328, para. 1). Yet, to what extent is emotion influenced by the individual? According to Shott, the influence of an individual upon emotion is “critical”, with personal experience influencing the creation, experience, and interpretation of each emotion (Shott, 1979, p. 1320, para. 4; p. 1323, para. 2). In this frame, individual emotional definitions and interpretations are both mediatory processes and formative processes; meaning that they are both influenced by, and influence, physical emotional states, cultural and social norms, and individual beliefs and experiences. As mentioned earlier, Hochschild similarly theorizes that the personal management of an emotion not only alters what is experienced, but directly affects its creation (Hochschild, 2012, p. 27, para. 2). It is of interest to note that contemporary research has shed light on the practice of personal modification and management emotion by showing the management of emotional facial expressions to begin approximately around the age of two years old (Lewis, Sullivan, & Vasen, 1987). This indicates not only that emotion work is learned very early in life, but presents the possibility that after years of practice, specific emotion work may become a habitual response.